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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113200">Symphony of Starlight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/altoinkblots/pseuds/altoinkblots'>altoinkblots</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stardust [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Stardust, Angst, But Not the Good Kind, Camelot, Excalibur, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, I swear, Magic, Pirates, Princess Winry Rockbell, Slow Burn, Witches, kimblee is a warning all on his own, nothing bad happens to nina</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:09:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>72,188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/altoinkblots/pseuds/altoinkblots</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Camelot has not fallen ever since Arthur Pendragon was on the throne. With armies looming on the horizon and as the only heir, Winry promised herself that she would not be the weak link that ends the long Pendragon line. She's not too proud to admit that she can't do everything on her own.</p><p>Edward is a long way from home, trusted just enough for his new duty to be a heavy weight on his already strained shoulders, and more alone than he's been in years. That last part might not be as true as he thought.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alphonse Elric &amp; Edward Elric, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stardust [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1777492</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am... finally ready to put this out here! This fic has been months in the making, and while I'm glad that it's done it's a little sad because this took up so much of my life for so long. Oh well, I've already moved on (kidding). But I do have a steady update schedule for this: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, so this will be all out fairly soon. Much thanks to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephilosophersapprentice">thephilosophersapprentice</a> for listening to my rambling musing and for helping me out with pacing/characterizations/everything else that writing friends do (including the summary).</p><p>So, without further ado, I present to you <i>Symphony of Starlight</i>. Enjoy!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Greed barged into the government building in Anworth, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuming</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Get me Bradley!” he roared, the door slamming behind him. A picture fell off of a wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The various officials working in the small office abruptly stood up, their eyes wide. Greed stood in the middle of the room, his hands on his hips, his foot tapping angrily on the ground. “What,” he snapped at a boy that couldn’t be more than sixteen years old. “You heard me, find my brother and bring him here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy snapped to attention. “Y-yes, your--of course.” He gathered a stack of papers, trembling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed clapped his hands together. “I don’t have all day!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy left his stack of papers and ran out of the main office. Just a few minutes later, he came in with Greed’s least favorite--and only--sister in tow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lusty,” he called over to her, the childhood nickname dripping from his mouth like poison. “What a surprise seeing you here. I thought you’d be back in Central kissing Father’s ass.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana flipped her elegant black curls over her shoulder. “Still on your childish privateering dreams, Harrison?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed grinned. “It’s Greed, actually. And yes, we’re actually quite successful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pity. I’ll tell Father to up the bounty on your head.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You wish.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana folded her arms. “Bartholomew said that if we ever saw you again to take you into custody and throw you, and I quote, ‘to the dogs so they’d at least get a halfway decent meal.’”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bartholomew has always been an envious bastard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what brings you here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed grinned at his sister. The other people in the office stared between the two of them, the tension in the room palpable. “Unfortunately, I didn’t come to see you, my dearest sister. I came to see that sniveling, weak-spined, power-hungry </span>
  <em>
    <span>imbecile!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Greed’s voice rose until he shouted the last word. He turned to Luciana. “I’m more than willing to wait.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana huffed. “Too bad, he’s not here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bullshit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged. “Too bad, you just missed him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My sources say that he got here yesterday and is collecting forces to make an attack against Camelot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana hummed. “I don’t know where you’re getting your information, but your sources are clearly wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed growled. “My sources aren’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you’re just lying to me.” He tried to push past her and to the other parts of the building, but she held him back with surprising strength. “Let me pass.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry,” she said, “no can do. You gave up your right to the crown, remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed huffed. “Between you and Selim constantly fighting for it, I’d say I dodged a knife to the back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still, protocol is protocol.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Father technically never removed me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was a grievous oversight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed tried to duck under her arm, but she pressed a knife to his side. Where had she gotten that? “I need to talk to Bradley.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you protecting him?” Greed yelled. “He’s only ever been trying to undermine all of us for the throne!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana huffed again. “That’s where you’re wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> going after Camelot! You liar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana’s violet eyes burrowed into him. “I have never lied to you in my life, Harrison.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes you have. You have a tell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Name one time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed narrowed his eyes at her, his mind running through every interaction with her that he could remember. “Fine,” he eventually said. “But that doesn’t mean that you can’t start now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana pressed the knife into his side even harder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just tell me one thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why Camelot?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no idea what you’re--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soft footsteps clicked against the wooden floor. Luciana abruptly removed the knife pressing against Greed’s side, and he watched (only half surprised) Bradley emerge from the back rooms with his hands behind his back. He clicked his heels together when he stopped in front of Greed and Luciana. “I heard you were looking for me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If it was possible, the office fell even more sill and silent. Someone stepped on the broken picture, the sound of crunching glass echoing through the office.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed squared his shoulders. He couldn’t back out now. “What’s your deal?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley’s face didn’t betray any emotion. “I don’t follow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re attacking Camelot, right? One of Amestris' oldest allies, one of the oldest kingdoms in Faerie, are you an </span>
  <em>
    <span>idiot</span>
  </em>
  <span><em>?</em>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley just shook his head and chuckled. “As usual, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Greed</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana moved away from Greed and stood next to Bradley, smug as ever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like hell I do.” He gestured between Bradley and Luciana. “And I cannot believe that you two are working together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana just rolled her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really underestimate us, Greed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed put his hands on his hips. “Oh? Okay then, what’s actually your plan?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana growled under her breath. “You have no right--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley held up a hand. He took three steps closer to Greed. “It’s adorable how you think we’re going to attack Camelot while the princess is still alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed blinked. “The who now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana snorted behind Bradley. Beneath his thick moustache, Bradley smiled. “Precisely.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed glowered at both of them. “Burn in hell, the both of you. Camelot has never done </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> to warrant this kind of action against it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How would you know?” Luciana asked. “You’ve been out of the loop for years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not as out of the loop as you think,” said Bradley. “After all, he got wind of my plans.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed perked up. Bradley had always been careful when he used language, ever since they had been children. He slowly approached Luciana. She raised an eyebrow. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, nothing,” said Greed, keeping his tone aloof. “Just that…” He smacked his lips together. “Is there anything that he’s doing that you don’t agree with?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana glowered at him, her eyes quickly flicking to Bradley. Greed couldn’t help but grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on,” he said, nudging her with his elbow. “I used to be your favorite, you can tell me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re trying to manipulate me,” she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, Lusty…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I always hated that nickname,” she snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Bartholomew was the one who came up with it, Gregory always used it, I only used it today to get a rise out of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your point? Get to it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed started to circle her. “Why are you even helping him out? You’re the First Princess of Amestris, second in line to the throne. You don’t need this idiot.” He gestured to Bradley. The other man was fingering the sword at his belt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t need you, either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“His pathetic power play isn’t even going to work. Camelot hasn’t fallen in a thousand years--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’ve never fallen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was being poetic. They haven’t fallen in a thousand years, why risk attacking now? Besides, you owe me for the Saxondale fiasco.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t know what’s been going on,” said Bradley. “Do you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do I need to?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley stepped towards Greed. “Piracy doesn’t suit you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Screw you too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley looked around the office. “We’re done here. Get back to work, and kindly escort this </span>
  <em>
    <span>former</span>
  </em>
  <span> prince out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can see myself out, thanks,” Greed said, not moving an inch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley stared at him. “Clearly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two Amestrian guards grabbed Greed by either arm and started to drag him out. He struggled against them, spinning around for a moment to glare at Luciana and Bradley. “At least tell me one thing,” he called out. “How?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a pirate,” Bradley called back. “It doesn’t matter to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn it, Bradley! Just tell me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luciana stepped forward, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “Kimblee,” she said. “Now we’re even.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley spun on her as Greed stuck out his foot to stop himself around the front door. The guards tried to push him out, but years on a pirate ship had made Greed strong. “Bradley, you utter idiot,” he said. “Kimblee’s a madman!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bradley looked over at Greed for a moment. “That’s my </span>
  <em>
    <span>last resort</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he said, practically spitting on Luciana. She wiped the spittle from her face and glowered at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re on your own,” she said, her voice short and clipped. “I’m out. Good luck getting your so-called army from Father’s forces.” She turned, flipping her hair in his face, and walked away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t need your help anyway!” Bradley yelled out after her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed only laughed as the guards dumped him on the street. “You fool,” Greed said between laughs. People walked past him, giving him odd looks. He paid them no mind. “You have </span>
  <em>
    <span>no idea</span>
  </em>
  <span> what you’ve gotten yourself into.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood up and brushed the dust off of his trousers. He put his hands into his pockets and set off, whistling. Greed barely knew anything about the affairs of Faerie--his ship and crew were all the world he needed--but even he knew that attacking Camelot was a fool’s errand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he had specifically mentioned the princess… Whoever that was…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed shrugged it off. It didn’t affect him.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Camelot is on it's last leg. <i>Winry</i> is on her last leg. She has survived three different assassins sent to kill her, against all odds. So, for the good of her kingdom, she decides to leave. Enter Edward Elric, a perfectly average guard in the Camelot Royal Guard. He's perfect for the job.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Winry smoothed down the folds in her skirt, repositioning the belt on her waist. She kept her expression cool and composed. Her heartbeat, however, was racing. What her father had just proposed, what it implied, terrified her. She kept her thoughts buried; to everyone else in the room, she was the perfect princess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mother and father looked at her, their expressions unreadable. No, those were the faces of the king and queen. Winry closed her eyes, willing her heart to calm. “Yes,” she said. “For the good of our people, for the good of Camelot, I will go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t want to. No matter how she framed it in her mind, it felt like running away. She would much rather stay, in her home, with her people and face the terrors and the knives that came at night under the cover of the moon. Even if an army three times the size of their population was well on its way to their small kingdom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The king nodded. Not her father; Yuriy Pendragon had many masks, and in this moment he was the king. “For my daughter’s safety, at least one of our knights must go to protect her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I disagree, your Majesty,” said the king’s right hand man, Roland Mustang. He was of average build, with hair and eyes like night, and he stood like he was ready for an attack at any moment. They all were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The king turned to him. All of the king’s men stood around a circular table, out of respect for the queen and princess. “Speak.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mustang cleared his throat. “Our enemies will discover that the princess is gone if we send a single knight with her. We are well-known throughout Faerie, and people will notice if one of us is missing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you suggest?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We send a nobody. Someone that is skilled enough to protect the princess from attempts on her life and the dangers that await in the wider world, but inconspicuous enough that their absence will not draw suspicion on us or her. For a while, at least.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the best we could hope for,” said Breda, another knight with a ruddy complexion and stocky build. “We give the princess enough time to flee, while we prepare for an all-out war against Amestris.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The walls of Camelot have not fallen in over a thousand years,” Falman said. “What makes you think they’ll fall now?” He rested his hand on the map covering the table, showing the movements of various armies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not the walls I’m worried for,” Breda retaliated. “The princess is the only heir to the throne, and if we can’t protect her, what will happen to the Pendragon line? To Camelot? When Merlin enchanted the land—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We all know the story of the Anvil,” Mustang interrupted. “Get to your point.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m saying that we need to do whatever it takes to protect the princess, and if that includes sending her away until she’s ready to rule—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But there won’t be a Camelot for her to rule if it’s destroyed,” Jean Havoc pointed out, forming the words around his smoking pipe. “We’re wasting precious resources and men trying to figure this damn plan out, when we should be figuring out what our plan of attack is when Bradley and his army arrive on our doorstep..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She won’t be able to rule it if she’s dead, Havoc.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Queen Sarah cleared her throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>King Yuriy turned back to Mustang. “Assuming we’re going though with this, which we are, who would you recommend? You’re my most trusted confidant here, besides my wife, and you know each of the guards well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry resisted the urge to grit her teeth. She was required to come to war meetings being the heir and all, and especially after three attempts on her life in two weeks. This was the room where their initial plan to protect her had hatched and slowly come to fruition. Winry just wished that she had been given some say in it; she hated how everyone talked about her like she wasn’t even there. The only reason she was invited to these meetings was to make sure that Camelot’s best knights had their eyes on her, to make sure she would stay alive. Until she was forced to leave, of course. For her own safety.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mustang lifted his chin. “Edward Elric. He is a capable guardsman, and he’s only been on active duty for two years now, so he won’t be missed. He is a skilled enough swordsman, and is loyal to Camelot and the throne.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Havoc snorted. “You just want to get him out of your hair.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mustang turned to Havoc, his eyes narrowed. “This is not a question of my thoughts on a subordinate. His Majesty asked who I recommended, and I recommend him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mustang’s right,” said the mouse-like Fuery. “Edward is perfectly average at everything he does, but he does it without complaint or drawing attention to himself. And he is loyal, I’ve talked to him a few times myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>King Yuiry turned to face Fuery. “And what are your thoughts?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fuery shrugged. “He has a good head on his shoulders. He can be hot-headed, but when he’s on duty he is on duty. He doesn’t slack off nearly as much as some of the other guards do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone in the room glanced at Winry. They tried their best to be discreet, but she could tell. The first two assassination attempts had gotten as close as they had because of bored guards. They had stopped them, in the end, but they had both been close calls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Breda snapped his fingers. “Elric. The name is familiar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He was the one who stopped the last attempt on the princess’ life,” said Falman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They didn’t even use her name. To them, she was nothing more than a glass vase. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She did remember that last attempt, it had only been a week and a half prior. She didn’t remember the face of the guard who had thrown the knife into her assailant’s head, killing him instantly; only her mother rushing in and holding her. Odd, she hadn’t cried that time. Maybe that was the moment she had become used to people trying to kill her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The king looked around the room, at his closest friends and allies who had proven themselves time and time again. His eyes caught Winry’s last, and Winry could see the man behind the king. A father, looking at his only child, who he was about to send away. Who he might never see again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tears brimmed in the corners of Winry’s eyes. Her father was the strongest person she knew, he was the person to whom she went to with the hurts of the world. To see him like this broke her heart. She stayed stoic and silent, however. She was their princess, and their last hope to keep Camelot alive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The queen turned to Mustang. “Do you trust this Edward with your life? With the life of your country? With your princess? With my daughter?” Her voice was hard and firm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mustang straightened under the queen’s gaze. “Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yuiry lifted his chin, his face that of the king again. “I’ve heard enough. Edward Elric will escort Princess Winry out of Camelot. They leave tonight. Dismissed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knights gathered their things and left the war chambers. “So soon?” Winry asked as she followed her father out of the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enemies are closing in, Winry,” he said, his voice soft enough not to be heard by the guards lining the walls, perfectly equidistant from each other and in the shadows. “You are the next ruler of Camelot, and we must keep you safe to keep the throne safe, and through that, the kingdom. “</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I understand that, but…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of him. The guard who had saved her life once before, the one who she was now entrusting her life to. Edward Elric. He was indistinguishable from the rest of the guards in the stone corridor, save his golden hair. Odd, how she hadn’t noticed him before. Did she only see him now, now that her life was in  his hands? And how did she not recognize those piercing gold eyes?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The king glanced over at him as well. “That’s him,” he said, more of a statement than a question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” said Winry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They continued on, Mustang stepping off to the side to talk to the guard separately. Winry averted her gaze. Pools of light filtered through the slits in the stone, barely enough to be called windows. Winry’s gown swished around her ankles. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One by one, the knights split off until Winry was alone with her parents. They silently made their way to the top of the keep and stood at the parapet. The sun was high in the sky. She had some time yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It almost doesn’t feel real,” said her mother. A soft breeze danced around the three of them. “Yet here we are.” She turned to Winry. “Am I a bad mother for wanting you to stay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, the tears did fall down her face. Sarah Pendragon reached out and brushed her daughter’s tears away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t cry, my darling,” she said, tears forming in her own eyes. “You will be safe and home soon enough.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And Camelot will be safe,” said her father. Even when he didn’t have the mask of the king on, he always had his duties to Camelot on his mind. “Faerie will be at peace once more, and our enemies will leave us be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry looked out at Camelot. It wasn’t a large kingdom; a simple bailey fortified the castle, and it was surrounded by farmland. She almost thought she could see the edge of the kingdom in the distance, but that was silly. Camelot wasn’t quite that small. And it would be hers, someday. If this all blew over and people would stop trying to kill her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her tears flowed freely, and she started to weep. For her land, her people, her parents, her. “If only,... if only we could be left alone,” she sobbed. She gripped the stone parapet, her knuckles turning white. “We’re small, irrelevant. Why come after us? Why not leave us alone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>King Yuiry sighed. “I won’t pretend to have answers, but neither does anyone else. We must do what is good for the kingdom, and that is keeping you safe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry tried to control her breathing, she really did. She just found it harder to inhale. “How do I know if I’ll see you again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Queen Sarah grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. “You will,” she said. “These wars won’t last forever, and I promise that the next time you cry you will be home and safe, and you will cry tears of joy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We swear it on the blood of our fathers,” her father said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry closed her eyes. She was a princess, schooling her emotions was nothing new, except she was naturally a weepy person. She blinked back her tears and straightened, letting her hair fall down her back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opened behind them. They turned around to see Mustang, fist to his heart and bowing. “Edward Elric has been told of the plan and his duties, your majesties. He will guide the princess off at sunset, through the servant’s quarters. Horses and supplies for the journey are being gathered now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The king nodded. “Thank you, Roland.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight stood up straight, nodded once, then left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>King Yuiry turned to Winry. “We will see you off,” he said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here,” Queen Sarah said, reaching to her neck and taking her necklace off. It pooled in the palm of her hand.. “Take this, and remember us by it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She placed the necklace in Winry’s outstretched hand. It was an iron pendant with sprigs of mistletoe stamped into the metal, attached to a long iron chain. Winry curled her hand into a fist around it. “I will,” she whispered. “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to get going,” said her father. “But I will see you off tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As will I,” said the queen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “I think I’ll stay up here for a while longer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her parents left, with Queen Sarah squeezing her daughter’s shoulder behind her. Winry watched them leave, and turned back to look out on Camelot. She opened her fist, looking at the necklace, then put the chain over her head, the pendant swinging with the movement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes scanned along the horizon. She had been born and raised in this castle, occasionally venturing out to the outlying villages. She had never stepped out of Camelot, and she was more than a little scared. She couldn’t imagine an army marching into her home, let alone without her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She still felt like she was running away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry turned her face to the sky, avoiding looking directly at the sun. Somewhere out there, stars twinkled in the sky, but it was just after midday so there wasn’t one in sight. Lately, she had been getting back into the habit of tracing patterns in the night sky, something she used to do as a child. The stars were like a second home to her, somewhere she escaped to when all had seemed lost. That had been happening a lot lately.. If only she could escape to the sky, to be safe among the stars. There she wouldn’t have to worry about assassins trying to kill her, armies taking advantage of Faerie being in disarray to attack small kingdoms to add to their wealth and power.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once, Camelot would have been on the forefront of the battles, charging into Stormhold and putting an end to their war, their war that had spurred the rest of Faerie into chaos. Not anymore. Camelot was a shell of its former glory, and Winry couldn’t help but feel that one day it would sink beyond the waves of memory and legend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hated that she was leaving. Being the only child of the king and queen meant an entire kingdom rested on her shoulders, and the Pendragon line hadn’t been broken in a thousand years. For Camelot to thrive, a Pendragon had to be on the throne. Now, one had to leave Camelot. It didn’t make any sense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry snorted. At least she wasn’t being locked in a tower. Anything was better than that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, she found herself wandering aimlessly through the castle, from the bailey to the courtyard, making sure to keep to well-traveled, well-lit parts of the castle. No one met her gaze. Winry assumed that it had to do with the multiple attempts on her life, not the plan. There was no reason that anyone outside of the war council knew of the plan, they had all been sworn to secrecy. But there was a certain atmosphere to the castle, one that couldn’t be explained away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the sun slowly inched towards the western horizon, Winry found herself in her room. It was one of the bigger ones, second only to her parents’, with a hearth in a corner, a four-poster bed with a chest at the foot of it, furs covering the wooden floor, scarlet blankets lying all over, and a small vanity decorated with dried flowers. Winry sat on her bed, looking around. She didn’t know when she would next sleep in her own bed. She didn’t know where she would be sleeping for a while.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing for her to do; at least one of the servants would have packed for her already, and she was already wearing everyday clothing. So she just sat and waited for time to pass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shadows in her room lengthened, and a knock came at her door. “Come in,” she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heymans Breda opened the door and saluted her with a fist to his heart. “It’s time, your highness.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry stood and stuck close to him as they moved silently through dark corridors, through the empty courtyard, and to the stables. Her parents stood there, along with her father’s best knights and him. Edward Elric. Winry’s stomach twisted itself into knots. He stood perfectly at attention, a faded red cloak around his shoulders and faded white gloves over his hands. His honey-gold hair was tied back into a braid with long bangs framing both sides of his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she approached, the knights and Edward saluted her, all with a fist to their heart. Her mother pulled her into a hug, and her father kissed her forehead. “Be safe,” he said. Winry nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you,” said her mother. “Never forget that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t,” said Winry, shaking her head. She turned to Edward. “Hello,” she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He only nodded, his golden eyes catching in the starlight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mustang turned to him. “You know your duty. Keep her safe, and bring her home once this blows over and you feel like it’s safe to..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward nodded. “Yes, sir.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m serious, Elric. Don’t you dare take this—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know what I’m doing. Sir.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mustang glowered at him. They exchanged a wordless conversation for several moments, all while glaring at each other. At the end, Edward rolled his eyes and climbed onto one of the horses. Mustang stepped up to him and held out a rolled-up piece of paper. “This is your way back into Camelot. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> lose it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward tucked the paper into one of his pockets. “Yes, sir.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mustang stepped away, standing next to the king.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking one last look at her parents, at the knights who served alongside her father, she climbed onto the other horse. This was it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodbye,” she said with a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone, including her parents, snapped to a salute. Their fists to their hearts, all together in a single motion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward clicked his tongue, nudging his horse forward. Winry followed him out of the stables and beyond the open gates. The horse’s hooves plodded along the dusty road, kicking up faint clouds of dust. Above their heads, stars twinkled in the sky.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos. Thanks!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ever since she failed in getting the star three years before, Lavina and her sisters have been wallowing in their own age and misery. That is, until they felt a change, telling them that the star was still at large...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry, no Ed and Winry this chapter, but they'll be back next time, I promise.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It wasn’t the stench that drove Lavina to near madness, it was the constant itch all over her body. From her head down to her toes, every inch of sagging, withered skin itched, and if she scratched she wouldn’t stop until she bled out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That, and her two sisters were literally suffocating her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get off of me,” she groaned, her voice scratchy and low from disuse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But there’s no more room,” Moira grumbled , spitting what remained of her hair out of her mouth. “Isador is hogging all of the space.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am not,” growled the third sister. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just get </span>
  <em>
    <span>off</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” said Lavina, elbowing both of her sisters in the back. Even though she was frail, old, and no longer beautiful, her elbows were still sharp enough to elicit yelps of pain from her two sisters. Lavina inhaled air that stunk of animal feces and death. It was certainly fresher than either of her sisters, that was for sure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The itching came back, and Lavina screamed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her sisters jumped as much as they could in their old bodies, glaring at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was that really necessary?” Isador said, glowering, her bald head reflecting the moonlight directly into Lavina’s eyes. Isador’s blue eyes had faded over the centuries, but there were hints, shadows, of the woman she had once been. Sharp cheekbones that had been long-hidden under wrinkles, a weak chin that had double-and-triple layers like an onion, and stubby fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know how I itch,” said Lavina. “And cover your head, it’s too bright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re one to talk, sister,” Moira said. “There isn’t a spot on your bald head that isn’t covered in liver spots or wrinkles.” Her eyes were the same color as Lavina’s, emerald green, but they held a hunger behind them. Unlike Isador, Moira had most of her formerly beautiful features: such as her large and elegant nose, a square jaw that didn’t hold much teeth, and her surprisingly agile knees and hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina glowered at Moira. “That was uncalled for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So was telling Isador that her bald head was too bright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Both of you, shut up,” Isador snapped. Her sunken eyes stared out of the window above their heads. “Do you feel it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina and Moira exchanged a look. “No,” they said in unison, their ancient voices perfectly harmonized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador placed her hands over each of their eyes. “Listen. Feel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina turned within herself, a simple task after eons of practice. There was something… Off in the distance, almost like…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira gasped, then immediately started coughing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina sighed. “You inhaled too quickly, sister. Your vocal folds can’t handle it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira held up a finger as her coughing subsided. “It’s back,” she said, her voice still breathy and hoarse from the sudden inhalation. “The star. I felt it again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador grinned, her one tooth the only thing separating her from wet food from now on. “And you, Lavina? Did you feel it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, sister,” said Lavina. “It’s back, and finally within our reach.” For effect, she curled her fingers into a fist. Every single bone in her hand crackled and popped with the movement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It left the presence of whatever was shielding it, and now it will be ours,” said Moira before she fell into a coughing fit. Isador sighed and gave her some old mulled wine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina peered over at the cages on the opposite wall. It was hard to see in the low light, the moon never fully shone on them, which was unfortunate. She hadn’t had moon water since she was a young witch. That still came with some advantages, such as a more powerful phantom blast; but still, moon water tasted divine. “Divinations,” she said. “We must see where the star is going, so we are the first to catch it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And become young again,” said Isador, grinning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please stop that,” said Moira. “Your tooth is weirding me out, and if I see it again I will yank it out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wouldn't dare.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador narrowed her eyes at Moira. Lavina kicked Moira, or tried to, out of bed, but it only made her bones ache. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you get off?” Lavina asked. “The animals are over there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira looked over at the cages. “I hope some of them are still alive. How long has it been?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three years,” said Isador. “The last time we felt the star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” She grimaced. “I really don’t want to catch a rat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if you would move we could actually see what’s still left over there,” said Lavina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The rabbits might be alive,” Moira said as she got out of bed and stood up. “They eat their young, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do mice,” said Isador. “But those died at least a year ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina groaned. “We were once terrible and great. Look at us now, squabbling over rabbits and mice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And old,” said Isador. “We’re also old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate being old,” Moira grumbled. “I want to be young again.” She formed a fist and hit it into her other hand, growling. “I want that star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina stood, her legs shaking from disuse and old age. Isador followed, and the three sisters hobbled over to the cages. All of them had filthy straw and dead animals, except for one. A single rabbit was still alive. It started trembling when it saw them, its fluffy tail quivering almost adorably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador opened the cage as Moira grabbed the rabbit and Lavina went for the knife. They placed the rabbit on the table and Lavina slit it’s underbelly open, careful not to get blood on her or her sisters. The rabbit died instantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador dug her fingers into the rabbit and pulled out its intestines. “The star is traveling east,” she said, inspecting the folds on the organ. “And it’s not alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira plucked a rib out of the rabbit. “There is still something protecting the star, but it’s weak. Weak enough that it’s hardly important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina bent close to the rabbit, her weak eyes barely able to detect anything. “There is danger on the road. Is that a goose?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador and Moira looked at where she pointed. “I’m not sure,” said Isador. “It looks like a sprig of mistletoe to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me see,” said Moira, pushing her sisters out of the way. “No, that’s a crown. It could honestly mean anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three sisters hummed, all of them leaning in closer to look at the entrails. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish we could check a wolf,” said Moira. “It’d be easier to see, at the very least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can go catch one, if you want it so bad,” said Lavina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that’s it,” said Isador, pointing at the stomach. “The star is on the move, it’s shielded with minimal protection, and it has something to do with a crown.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or the path it’s taking,” said Moira. “You never know with crowns involved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina looked back into the rabbit. “I don’t know,” she said. “I still think it looks like a goose to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have cataracts, Lavina. Everything looks like a goose when you have cataracts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina rolled her eyes. “How much of the last star do we have left?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Barely a speck,” said Isador. “Enough to find this star, I think; but we must find this one if we have any hope of becoming young and beautiful again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the chance of another star falling?” asked Lavina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Slim,” said Moira. “At least not for another two hundred years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina pursed her lips. “Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s draw, to see which of us will seek the star,” suggested Moira. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three sisters lined up in a row and blindly reached into the rabbit. Lavina’s fingers searched inside the rabbit, the blood warm and sticky against her fingers. She caught hold of something meaty and firm and pulled it out. Lavina grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve it’s gallbladder,” said Isador. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve it’s spleen,” said Moira.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’ve it’s heart,” Lavina said triumphantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You cheated,” Moira snapped. “You got to go out last time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina narrowed her eyes. “I am a witch, completely sworn to this sisterhood and our craft. I do not cheat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s got a point,” Isador said to Lavina. “You did get to go out last time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got the liver last time,” Lavina protested. “It’s not my fault I’m lucky.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira sighed, then immediately started coughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What have we told you about inhaling and exhaling?” Isador said. “Your vocal folds have been weak ever since our second star. You should really be more careful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira grumbled in between coughing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador turned to Lavina. “You get what’s left of our last star, but it’s not much. So be careful how you use your magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina nodded. “Use the runes, and only use magic if it’s my last resort. Until we get the star. What about phantom blasts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best not to try those.” Isador grinned. Moira was right, Isador’s one tooth was a little creepy. “And once you get the star, we can do as much magic as we wish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Moira’s coughing fit subsided, the three of them shuffled over to an old wooden cabinet. Once upon it had been ornate, with carvings of nightshade and ravens and dozens of other symbols; but like everything else around them, it had long since faded into a rotten hunk of wood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira opened the doors, the hinges squeaking. Isador grabbed a small chest that was a little larger than a fist. She set it on the table, next to the remains of the rabbit. Lavina opened it and frowned, the starlight emanating from the interior flickering and weak. It flitted around the inside of the chest, trying to escape Lavina’s decrepit claws, but it was too small and weak to do much. She brought what remained of the heart to her mouth and swallowed it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was tasteless as usual, with a stringy, meaty texture. It was small enough that Lavina didn’t even have to chew. Her teeth most likely couldn’t handle it anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The effect was instantaneous. A rush of light and energy stole through her body, traveling up into her brain and out to every system in her body. Lavina’s skin pinched against her bones, muscles that had atrophied gained strength and definition, and her breasts pulled up on her chest so they no longer sagged. Hair follicles that had long since died spat out long, thick hair in auburn curls. The cataracts faded from her eyes to reveal a sharp and cat-like emerald color, clear for the first time in seventy-six years. Her spine straightened, her bones healed themselves, the nails on her fingers and toes thinned themselves to a fine point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina inhaled as a brand-new woman. The room still stank and her head itched, but at least she was young and beautiful again. She looked around at her sisters that still wore the age of their years, at their once-fine cathedral that was nothing more than ruin, then behind her at a mirror spotted with age. She pulled at the skin on her cheekbones, trying to see if it was tight enough. It wasn’t the best; but again, that had only been a speck of a heart. Her mouth salivated at the thought of a new one, cut from the chest of a living star, bright and glowing, offering her and her sisters new magic and vitality again; beating, pulsing in her hand as she brought it to her mouth, her teeth sinking into--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She frowned, and leaned in so her nose touched the mirror. “I see grey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You poor thing,” Moira drawled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was barely enough for a mouse,” said Isador. “This is just a placeholder until we can get the real thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was also old. Three hundred years, I think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That sounds about right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina spun around to face her sisters, her hair cascading around her shoulders with a little bit of a bounce. “I will be off, as soon as I know how far away the star is, so I can catch it and bring it back.” She looked around at the room they were in, then over at the bed they had all shared. “What kind of squalor have we been living in? We’re Witch-Queens. We should have a wall of animals, gilded halls with chandeliers, and we shouldn’t have to smell the remains of animals.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira and Isador nodded. “We’ll take care of it while you’re gone,” said Isador. “Who knows, maybe we’ll find a slave girl to do it for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador groaned. “Honestly, slave-girls are more trouble than they’re worth.” To Lavina she asked: “How are you going to catch the star?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina tapped her bare foot on the dusty stone floor. “I’m thinking I might take the chariot. The one pulled by goats.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good choice,” said Moira. “But we don’t have any goats. They all died.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll find some. Or make them, it doesn’t matter to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful how you use your magic, sister,” said Isador. “What you just ate won’t last you long, even if you don’t use magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina waved her milk-white hand around. “I’m aware.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glided over to another wooden structure, this one a wardrobe. It was identical to two others next to it, but once upon a time it had carvings on it identifying it as hers. She slipped her filthy robe off of her shoulders and flung the wardrobe open. Her sisters groaned behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show-off,” Moira said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina smiled, picking through the various gowns in her wardrobe. She had a clear palate of dark greens, reds, and blacks, along with black undergarments in a drawer. She had an aesthetic, after all, and she would stick to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled one of her favorites out, and sauntered over to pick out her undergarments. It took a little longer to put on the whole ensemble—her sisters refused to help her, more than a little jealous of her young body—but when she was finished she stood in the center of their once-great palace. The crimson gown hugged her waist, and the sleeves came to a point on the backs of her hands, with black embroidery ranging from the skirts to the neckline. She spun around, the skirt flaring around her, and laughed. To her newly-rejuvenated ears, she sounded like a bell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do I look?” she asked with a grin, holding her arms out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador clapped politely, while Moira pursed her lips. “You’re wasting your time,” she said. “The star is currently in motion. The more time you take twatting and twirling the farther away it gets.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina looked up at the night sky and cursed. “You’re right,” she said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here,” said Isador, handing her a small velvet bag. “Runestones, so you can check your progress without using up the star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina nodded. “I’ll be back soon,” she said, grabbing a cloak from her wardrobe and shutting the doors with a squeak. “Have this place cleaned up, won’t you? And get some animals.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just make sure you get the star,” said Moira. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina spun around with her hands on her hips. “I will not fail this time. I swear that on our bond as sisters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira smirked. Isador inclined her head. Lavina walked out of the room and into the night, pulling the hood up on her cloak. It wouldn’t do to have the stars know what she was doing. While she did enjoy the night and the benefits it offered, stars were pesky things and often interfered with her plans. When she had lost the star, three years before, she was certain it had help from above.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed a whip, found the goat-pulled chariot, and pulled out her runes. “Is there a goat nearby?” she asked them, tossing them up into the air. She snatched them mid-fall and opened her fingers to read what they told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina went through each of the cardinal directions, pinning down where to find the goats. After asking her last question, she decided to risk a little magic in order to move the chariot. It was barely a trickle, something she could have done even without the heart’s help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chariot wobbled as she got on it and positioned her full skirt so it wouldn’t drag on the ground. Holding her hand in a fist she cracked the whip, and the chariot sped off. It wasn’t fast by any means, but it certainly beat walking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It softly rumbled down the unused road, the night silent and still, the stars bright and glaring down at her. She would not fail this time. Not just for the sake of her sisters, but for her own pride and honor. This was a chance to redeem herself, to get back her magic that was almost gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina grinned, her teeth white and sharp. She could almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> the heart’s heart between her teeth, the magic and youth rushing back to her…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chariot rumbled on.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos. Thanks!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's just Edward and Winry, Winry and Edward, all alone on the Neurath Road. What could possibly happen?</p>
<p>Answer: starting to get to know each other.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a short one, but we're back with Ed and Winry (and will be for a while). Well, that's basically all that I wanted to say, so enjoy!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Winry hadn’t spoken a word since leaving Camelot. Each step her horse took was one step further away from her home, and if she was being completely honest with herself, it felt more like a fever dream than reality. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had already crossed over the border of the kingdom. Winry recognized some of the landscape from maps and knew that they were going by the way of Neurath Road: a lesser-used road (that was little more than a glorified path) that went from Neurath to Gatilisle, with Camelot right in the center of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Neurath Road is one hundred and sixty-four miles long. If we stay on this road, we’ll make it to Gatilisle in a day and a half.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t know why she knew that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward led his horse on, not lighting a torch or a lamp. The sky was bright and the moon was full, but it was still too dark for Winry to see the road. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her horse trotted up next to his. He glanced over at her, then back at the road. The stars moved across the sky. The only sound that she could make out were the breathing of horses and their hooves on the dirt road. Winry blinked her eyes, repeatedly, to keep them open, along with inhaling sharply. If Edward wasn’t riding next to her, she would have left the road a long ways back, either from leading the horse astray or falling off because of sheer exhaustion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked over at her then clicked his tongue, leading his horse off of the road. Winry followed him, confused. “Is everything okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just looked up at the sky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry would have grumbled under her breath, but she just yawned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward got off of his horse, and when hers was close enough, grabbed the reins. “Let’s stop here for the night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry slid off of her horse. She was way out of her depth here, but Edward seemed to know what he was doing. He quickly set up bedrolls and collected wood for a fire, faster than Winry would have expected anyone to do. She started to help, but blacked out for a few seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go to sleep, princess. I’ve got this covered.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You--you sure?” Winry asked, yawning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry practically collapsed into her bedroll. Somehow, Edward was still awake. A few minutes later, after moving around their last-minute campsite, he sat on top of his bedroll, seemingly with no intention of sleeping. Winry propped herself up on an elbow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t you going to sleep?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head. “I don’t sleep well at night. That’s why I always took the night shifts back at the castle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right. It had been well past midnight when he had stopped the assassin. It felt like a lifetime ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, when do you sleep?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Usually during the day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry nodded, getting the impression that he wouldn’t keep talking. They would be spending the foreseeable future together, so it wouldn’t do to offend him on their first night. The bond that they shared was fragile at best.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She leaned back and looked up at the sky, tracing patterns in the stars with her eyes. “I wanted to thank you for saving my life.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“From a week and a half ago. You stopped the assassin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. That. I was just doing my job, you don’t need to thank me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry’s eyes fluttered closed. “I wanted to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her breathing evened out as her eyes fully closed. She turned, trying to get comfortable on the hard ground, but she was so tired she fell asleep almost instantly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was sure that she had dreams, but when the chirping of birds woke her up she couldn’t remember a single one. The sun barely peeked over the trees on the horizon, and Edward was sprawled out on top of his bedroll. His  hair was spread out and his hand was on his stomach in a way that made his tunic ride up a little bit. He looked so peaceful like this, almost as if there was a faint glow to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry snuggled deeper into her bedroll, the crisp morning air biting against her nose. She had always had the habit of rising with the sun, and now that she was awake she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. So, with the stars gone and her not wanting to move, she found herself looking at Edward, studying his features. It didn’t seem like he would be moving anytime soon, so she let herself just… look. More out of curiosity than anything else, but he was fascinating. It wasn’t just that he had this air about him, it was how he had brushed aside saving her life by simply saying that it was his job. She appreciated that he had done it, but it almost felt like he didn’t want the praise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she looked at him some more, she started to wonder why she had ever thought he was a regular guard. Maybe it was the little of his personality she had seen, maybe it was how his features fitted together on his face, maybe it was how he acted around others. More likely it was a mixture of all of the above. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward smacked his lips, and Winry looked away. She didn’t want to be caught staring at him, even if what she had been doing could even be considered staring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, she crawled out of the bedroll and grabbed one of the saddlebags, fishing inside for some food. Not sure if Edward wanted there to be a fire or not, she decided to skip out on the tea and instead ate an apple with a slice of bread and some cheese. She kept close to their little campsite, Edward still fast asleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the morning wore on, he still didn’t sir. He shifted around in his sleep, occasionally kicking his legs, but he didn’t wake up. With nothing to do, Winry sat on her bedroll and twiddled her thumbs. Around midday, he stirred and sat up, his hair looking like a rat’s nest. He groaned, lifting his hand to shield his eyes. “How long was I asleep for?” he asked, his voice caked with sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About six hours,” said Winry. “It’s close to midday.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward groaned and flopped backwards, grumbling. He rolled to his feet and finger-combed through his hair before pulling it back into a braid. “Sorry about that,” he said. “Sir Jackass had me on the morning duty yesterday. Sorry, Sir Mustang.” His wall from the night before was gone, and Winry was sort of enjoying it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She raised her eyebrows, a smile coming to her face. “I haven’t heard that one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “You’d be hard-pressed to find someone call him that, considering I’m the only one that does.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So I take it you two don’t get along?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, we get along just fine. It’s the clash of personalities and how he never works with my natural circadian rhythm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sleeping patterns. I’ve never been able to sleep through the night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I noticed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward snorted as he bent down to roll up his bedroll. “Anyway. How did you sleep, princess?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” she said. “You know that you can call me Winry, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head. “That’ll create a whole mess of problems I don’t want to deal with at the moment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood up, bedroll rolled and tied with his hands on his hips. “You have a responsibility to Camelot, and I have a responsibility to keep you safe. I feel that it’s easier to keep our relationship strictly professional if I call you ‘princess.’ Princess.” And his wall was back. “Now if only I knew where the closest village was. There we could get directions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry pointed off to the southeast. “Three miles that way, just a little off of the road.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward raised his eyebrows. “How do you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry shrugged. “I’ve always been good with geography.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward narrowed his eyes. “How far away is the castle?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry pointed. “Twenty miles that way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And… What about the Singing Waterfalls of Xandarin?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry pointed in another direction. “Three thousand, one hundred, and twenty-four miles and eight feet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward grinned. “You’re kidding me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry scoffed. “I do not have magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah? How long would it take to travel from here to Wall?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Two months,” Winry said confidently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How many miles is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nineteen hundred and eight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where can I go in a month?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward’s grin became even wider. “So it only works when you have an actual destination in mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What only works?” She was getting a little frustrated with Edward’s refusal to tell her what was going on. She put her hands on her hips. “Tell me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward looked down at her, then held out a gloved hand to help her up. She took it, albeit regretfully, as he hauled her to her feet. “This is Faerie,” he said, “almost everyone here has magic. Yours, apparently, is being good with geography. But only if you know what you’re looking for.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry rolled her eyes. “The last person to have magic in my line was Mordred Pendragon, and that was over a thousand years ago.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But magic does run in your blood. Maybe it was a recessive gene or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry avoided looking at him. “I guess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But hadn’t she known the exact length of the Neurath Road? And once Edward had started asking her how far away those places were, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> known. She hadn’t even heard of the singing Falls of Xandarin until now, but she knew exactly how to get there. It had popped into her mind. Almost like magic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took her hands off of her hips. “All right, fine. I have magic. Now what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward yawned, reaching up into the sky. “Should we get going?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry narrowed her eyes at him, but nodded. Edward grabbed an apple, eating it in almost four bites, and climbed onto his horse. Winry followed suit, and they were off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Exactly three miles later, they ran into a small village. It was little more than a hamlet, but they mostly stopped to get some more supplies and a map. The woman that sold them the items was nice; but she kept confusing them for a couple, even at their instance that they weren’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After some smiling and nodding (mixed in with pinched cheeks), they made their way out of the village and  back onto Neurath Road. The further they traveled the less well-kept the road became until it was little more than an overgrown deer path. They both dismounted their horses and led them through the woods, carefully, in a single-file line. Winry soon grew tired of stomping down in the thick underbrush. Her wool skirt kept getting caught on burrs and protruding branches. Behind her, her horse whinnied whenever it got into a tight spot so she kept having to stop and untangle branches from around the horse.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, around sunset, they stopped by a stream near the road to let the horses rest and drink. Winry patted hers on the neck, whispering calming nothings to it. Edward sat down on the bank of the slow-moving stream and undid his hair. Half-hidden behind her horse, Winry watched him carefully comb through his hair. His hair was long, shielding his profile from Winry as it fell to his shoulder blades. He ran his fingers through his hair, getting the various knots and miscellaneous items out of it. It was almost like a ritual, the way he started near the ends and worked his way up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The light of the setting sun reflected off of the stream and onto his hair. From that angle, in that lighting, it almost set her eyes on fire with how the light bounced off of the lazy-moving water and through the strands of Edward’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned his head just enough to glance at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked away and kept rubbing her hand along her horse’s black fur. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He quickly tied his hair back into a braid and stood up, brushing his pants off. “How do you feel about stopping for the night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry looked up from her horse. That had been the first thing he had said to her ever since stopping in the hamlet earlier that day. “Hmm? Oh, um, sure. If you’re good with stopping, then I am too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyebrows raised by a fraction. “I don’t care either way, princess. I have good night vision so I can keep leading us along the road, or we can stop here and make camp. Besides, I think this is the clearest spot for miles.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, we can make camp.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded, once, before taking the saddlebags off of his own horse. Winry unbuckled the saddle from hers and set that and the saddlebags on the ground. As they set up camp for the night they kept getting in each other’s ways, offering half-mumbled apologies whenever it happened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry tried her best not to make it awkward. She’d offer half-smiles whenever she could to ease some of the tension between them, but Edward rarely acknowledged them. Which was fine, but there was an air of unease. It wasn’t born from malice or anything, it was simply because they were two people who had been thrust together because of extenuating circumstances, and they had barely had a real conversation yet. Still, Winry liked what little she had seen of Edward and she genuinely wanted to get to know him a little bit better. It would certainly make their traveling together easier if they could carry a conversation. Edward, however, was more than happy to keep silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With their little campsite set up, the horses tied to nearby trees, and with stars peeking out in the sky, Winry let herself settle into her bedroll. They exchanged a simple meal of bread and cheese before falling into silence. Just like the night before, Edward sat on top of his and stared at the sky. The night was still warm and Winry wasn’t close to being tired, so she climbed out of her bedroll and sat on top of it. He glanced at her, then focused back on the sky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry stood up. “Come on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry gestured at him to follow her. Without looking to see if he was following her or not, she sat down at the bank of the stream and took her stockings off. She put her feet into the cool water, moist mud squeezing around her toes. Her dress was pulled up to her knees, and she leaned back against her hands and looked up at the sky. A few moments later she heard rustling behind her. Edward sat down next to her, his legs crossed and a fair distance from the stream. She looked at him, her eyebrows raised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I refuse to get my feet wet,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged. “Your loss.” She kicked her feet around a little bit, staring up at the sky. “Do you have a favorite?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Favorite what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Constellation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, can’t say that I do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry looked over at him. He had a completely different air about him now. He was calmer, more peaceful. And yet, there was something just below the surface that she couldn't put her finger on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pointed up at the sky. “Do you see that one?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which one?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kind of close to those three bright stars in a line and just above the group of stars that look like a frog.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Frog?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry smiled. “Yeah, a frog. It’s called Bufo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not real.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It totally is. Anyway, do you see the one that I’m talking about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gave her a </span>
  <em>
    <span>look.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Pretty sure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry smiled softly. “Just checking.” She breathed in some of the cool, night air. “Do you want to hear the story behind it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, why not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a yes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned to fully face her. “Why all of the sudden questions, princess?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry smirked. “It’s called ‘I’m carrying the conversation.’”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward rolled his eyes. “Fine. Would you tell me the story about this group of stars?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would love to.” She made herself comfortable and inhaled deeply. “Once upon a time, there was a mermaid named Sierena, and what she loved most in the world were humans. She would go up to the surface whenever she could just to get a glimpse of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One day, while she was up on the surface, a violent storm hit. A ship was nearby, and the waves started to drown the ship. And into the water, right next to where Sierena swam, was a prince. Sierena was a mermaid princess, by the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, this human prince fell into the ocean, unconscious. Sierena swam as hard as she could and pulled him out of the depths of the ocean. She took him to a nearby beach and left, but not before noticing that he was incredibly handsome and immediately falling in love. She waited to make sure he was okay before completely leaving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Once she was back home, she couldn’t get this man out of her head. Eventually, she made her way to a sea witch and asked to be turned into a human to be with her love.” Edward tensed up ever so slightly, but he didn't interrupt her. “The witch did so, but in turn she took Sierena’s voice and said that whenever she walked or danced, she would feel like she was walking on sharp knives and hot coals, and that the only way that the curse could be broken is if he kissed her within four days. If not, she would be turned into sea foam.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriena made her way to the surface and found the prince, but he didn’t recognize her. But he saw how elegant and graceful she was, so she started dancing. She did whatever she could to get him to recognize her, but nothing worked. She saw and danced for the prince every day and saw him fall in love with another princess. They were clearly happy together, and Seriena found that she couldn’t interfere with that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On the fourth day, just as the sun was setting, Seriena went back down to the ocean and prepared herself to get turned into sea foam. She cried, and as her tears touched the ocean they sparkled and turned into starlight. Just as the sun touched the horizon she could feel herself changing, but instead of being turned into sea foam, she found herself turning into stardust. For everything that she went through and being willing to put someone’s happiness in front of her own, she got turned into a constellation.” Winry drew her feet out of the stream and dried them off with her hem. Edward wasn’t looking anywhere near her, not saying anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did you think?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded. “It’s a nice story.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry put her stockings back on, suddenly embarrassed. “Well, I think I’m going to go to sleep.” She stood up, her skirt falling around her ankles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why do you like that story?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry turned towards Edward. He was still sitting cross-legged on the ground, staring up at the sky. “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe I’ve always fancied the idea of turning into starlight. Or, maybe, I understand Seriena giving up her happiness for what needs to be done.” She turned away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Princess?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for telling the story. It means more than you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiled at him, but he couldn’t see it. He stared up at the sky. “Anytime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last thing she saw before nodding off was tears on Edward’s face, twinkling like starlight as they fell into the water below.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it. Thanks!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The days all but blur together as Winry and Edward keep on their path far away from Camelot. They find themselves in the Attleval Forest, where a surprise (or two) waits for them. Watching.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Days passed. They were slow moving, considering they didn’t start moving until mid-morning at best, and stopped close to dusk to give Winry time to sleep. She didn’t know how Edward handled it, staying up all night and only sleeping for a couple of hours during the day, but he was always active and attentive, so Winry supposed it didn’t matter as much. Still, there was something about him at night that she couldn’t put her finger on. It was like Edward was more alive. If there were plants that wilted during the day and bloomed at night, Edward would be that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They passed by farms and villages, avoiding them at first, but the further away they got from Camelot, the more they started staying in barns in exchange for work. No one knew that Winry was a princess nor that Edward was her protector; they looked enough alike that people assumed they were siblings and didn’t ask questions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sat on her horse while Edward was a ways away, going to the bathroom. She patted her horse on the neck (she had named the black horse Rockbell a few days before, refusing to call it “my horse.” In return, Edward had named his white horse Alexander, albeit reluctantly at Winry’s insistence), waiting for Edward to come back. Rockbell snorted and stomped the ground, anxious to get going. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward came back, his scarlet cloak folded in his arms. Winry frowned, he rarely took it off.  “Is something wrong?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward frowned. “No. Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not wearing your cloak.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked down at the fabric in his arms. “Oh. Well, it’s been getting hotter, and I’ve been overheating in all this armor and wool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry hadn’t noticed that he wasn’t wearing his chain mail. He had a point, the further away they got from Camelot the warmer it became. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward stuffed his cloak into his saddlebags and swung his leg over Alexander after putting his foot into the stirrup. “Ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded, and followed after him. The forest around them was getting thicker, and it was getting harder and harder to see the natural light filtering down between the canopy. They rode in near silence, next to each other. At this point, Edward was a comfortable presence, always riding on her right side. He always stood there, ate there, slept there. It almost felt odd when he wasn’t half a step behind and to her right, keeping a careful eye out, guiding her, protecting her. That was his job, of course, but still. They were comfortable around each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sniffed the air, his brow furrowed. “Something feels off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The horses slowed their walking pace, their hooves crunching over the soft forest floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked around, squinting through the trees. Ever since Edward had told her she had magic, she had been trying it out. At first she hadn’t believed him, but the more they traveled, the more it made sense. “I don’t see anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Alexander and Rockbell stopped abruptly, their tails swishing behind them. Edward got off, holding onto Alexander’s reins, and looked around. “Do you know where we are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Attleval Forest,” said Winry, the words popping into her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked around, squinting to see through the low light. “I don’t know. I’m getting this feeling that something’s watching us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sat up straighter, looking around. She tried to will her magic to tell her what was around them, but that’s not how it worked. She needed to have a particular destination in mind. Edward’s hand drifted to the knife he kept on his belt, his eyes scanning the wood. Winry waited, barely breathing, as Edward carefully looked around. Finally, he sighed and got back onto Alexander. “I couldn't see anything,” he said. “I’ll keep an eye out, just in case. What’s the quickest way out of this forest? I don’t want to stay here any longer than necessary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked around. “That way,” she said pointing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward nodded, and they started off in the direction that she pointed in. They rode in silence, Winry scanning the forest for something, anything. She hoped that Edward was wrong, that there wasn’t anything watching them. However, he was her guard and he knew what he was doing, and if he felt that something was off then something was off. They had made it this far without an attempt on Winry’s life, they would make it further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The forest grew darker as they continued. Eventually, they both had to get off of their horses and walk because of the dense brush. Edward even pulled out his sword and started hacking through branches and saplings to clear a path for them and the horses. Every few minutes, he would ask her to re-orient them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After several hours of this, Edward flopped to the ground, sweat dripping down his face and bangs. He leaned his head back against a tree and had one leg outstretched. Winry joined him on the ground after tying the horses up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here,” she said, offering him an apple and some water. He guzzled down the water first with the water pouring down the sides of his face, then ate the apple in six bites before tossing the core to the side and leaning his head back against the tree. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t get it,” he said, out of breath. “This is the quickest way, right? I don’t want to doubt your magic or anything, but it’s getting thicker and worse.” His eyes narrowed. “And that feeling has been getting stronger. We are being watched.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry scooched closer to Edward, his presence comforting. “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe my magic is wrong, but that’s where it’s pointing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Every instinct in me is telling me to run in the other direction,” he said with his eyes closed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why haven’t we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I trust your magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sighed and rested her head on Edward’s shoulder. “I just figured out that I had magic a few days ago. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t trust it yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sighed. “You’re probably right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t we camp here for the night? You can rest, and in the morning we can figure out what our plan is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s six hours to dusk. Are you sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re clearly tired.” Winry looked up at the trees, at the leaves and branches blocking out all light in the forest. “How do you know that it’s six hours until dusk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward made an “I don’t know” noise while he yawned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll keep watch,” said Winry. “You clearly need to sleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No I don’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nudged him with her shoulder. “You do. You’re running yourself ragged. Think of this as a way to catch up on the sleep you’ve been missing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward yawned again. “I don’t like how this forest feels, princess. I don’t feel comfortable sleeping until we’re out of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry glanced over at him, a smile playing on her lips. “I don’t think you have a choice. Your eyelids are drooping.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, they’re not.” His voice was firmer, but somehow more tired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here.” Winry re-positioned herself so her shoulder was ready to catch Edward’s when he did end up falling asleep. “I’ll keep watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s my job,” he mumbled, nodding off. Within a few minutes, his head rolled onto her shoulder. She didn’t move a muscle, knowing that if she did Edward would wake up and loose this opportunity to sleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry let Edward’s slow, even breathing ground her as she kept an eye out on the forest surrounding them. Both of the horses were more anxious than normal, and Winry’s stomach sank. So Edward had been right. If the horses were nervous then there definitely was something going on, and her magic had led them straight to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed her eyes, controlling her breathing and heart rate. It was good Edward was sleeping on her shoulder, she used his breaths to match to her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Breathe in.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Breathe out.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Breathe in.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Breathe out.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly, Winry stayed awake the entire time that Edward slept. Several hours passed and Winry’s shoulder and arm lost all feeling, but she refused to move it. Edward was asleep, and she wouldn’t disturb that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward eventually yawned, his eyes fluttering open. He blinked, tears forming in the corner of his eyes as he stretched, taking his head off of Winry’s shoulder. Winry moved her arm around, getting some feeling back. Edward looked over at her. His eyes sparkled more, and his skin looked clearer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, did I fall asleep on you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “It’s fine. You looked really peaceful, and I didn’t want to bother you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked around, finger-combing his hair into a manageable braid. “Did anything pass by?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward stood up, stretching his arms over his head. He froze mid-stretch. “It’s back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is? The feeling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward hauled Winry to her feet, pushing her over towards Rockbell. “Get on, we need to run.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry did so, confused. “Edward, what’s going on? What do you mean that the feeling is back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward climbed onto Alexander after he untied the two horses from a nearby tree. He looked around, then down at his hands, cursing. “It’s my fault.” He looked around. “Come on, this way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He urged Alexander into a run, and Winry followed suit. She ignored the pull in her gut, her magic telling her to go another way. She wanted to ask him why it was his fault, what was he talking about, but the horses were running and she couldn’t get close enough to Edward to ask, not in these thick woods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They reached a more open area, Rockbell passing Alexander up. Winry didn’t know where her horse was going, Edward was the one who always knew where they were in the dark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rockbell suddenly </span>
  <em>
    <span>stopped</span>
  </em>
  <span>, completely throwing Winry over his head. She cried out and landed in a heap of limbs and twigs, her arm twisting in an awkward position. She tried to move, but was completely frozen. She couldn’t even breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess!” Edward cried out, sliding off of Alexander. He rushed towards her, completely freezing up a few steps from where she lay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s mind raced. She was still confused, but the fact that both her and Edward were frozen and that she couldn’t breathe outweighed her curiosity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her lungs burned, spots danced in her vision. She could only stare at Edward, frozen mid-run. Behind him, a woman stepped out. She had blonde hair so light it almost looked white, small eyes and an even smaller nose, and pointed lips that were curled into a thin grin. She tapped Edward on the head as she walked past him, and he gasped in air, still frozen. She crouched down next to Winry, and took her hand. Winry inhaled sweet, sweet air and stood up. The woman grinned, walking around her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” she said, her voice airy and high. “You’ll do nicely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward’s golden eyes flared with anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” Winry asked, her voice shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman laughed. “Oh, you sweet thing. I’m a witch. Jorinda Perenelle, at your service.” She curtsied low. “And </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> smell like a princess. I have a good nose for these things, you know. Do you want to know what he smells like?” She tapped her nose with a long finger and winked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head. She was trembling. This woman didn’t feel right. She inhaled deeply, then raised her chin to look Jorinda Perenelle in the eye. “Let my companion go,” she said. “We both mean you no harm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jorinda cackled. “No, that won’t do. I think I’ll keep him here like that, frozen and fresh in case I need him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wirny tried to calm her racing heart, her irregular breathing. She clenched her fingers into fists. “I demand that you let my companion and I go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jorinda inspected her nails, then touched Winry between the eyes. “I really do have to thank your horse,” she said. “If he hadn’t thrown you, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smoke filled Winry’s vision as her body pinched and squeezed and the hairs all over her body grew and extended. The smoke faded, and Jorinda stood above her, cackling. Edward’s eyes were wide, dozens of emotions swirling around them. Winry opened her mouth to say something, to ask what was going on.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>HONK.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s eyes grew wide and she flipped backwards, honking frantically. Jorinda cackled, completely bent over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the best reaction I’ve seen in years!” the witch exclaimed, wiping tears from her eyes. “It’s been forever since I’ve turned someone into a goose.” She mimicked Winry’s honk, then threw her head back and laughed even harder into the night sky. “Oh, that never gets old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry ran around, flapping and honking. She could feel her essence turning into that of a goose, and with her last coherent thought as a human, she hid behind Edward. The goose poked her head between his legs and hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch knelt down, holding her hand out to the goose. “Come with me, my pet. It’s been so long since I’ve added a princess to my collection.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Above the goose, the frozen human snarled. The witch approached her, low on the ground. The goose cocked her head to the side. The witch kind of looked like a goose herself. White hair, wide eyes. No feathers, however. Feathers were great. Everyone should have feathers</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch grinned. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s right,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she said, her voice layered and sweet. Deep reverberations ran through the goose’s chest. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Come here, little goose. I’ll take care of you now.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>That sparked something in the goose’s mind. She was supposed to be protected, wasn’t she? Seeing as this goose-woman-witch seemed to be the only one offering to do that, The goose slowly stepped between the legs of her guardian and into the goose-woman-witch’s arms.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Edward wished that he could do something, anything to stop this. This whole debacle was his fault, and now the princess was a goose, honking as Jorinda took her away. Why wasn’t she fighting back? She was strong and capable, so why was this happening?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jorinda turned around and grinned, her teeth sharp. Edward’s heart froze. “I’ll keep you there until I need you,” she said with a wink. “I’ve got plenty of magic, but don’t worry. I’ll be back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward pushed against her magic, he fought against whatever was keeping him frozen in this spot. His muscles were tense, he should have been running, he should have stopped this, he should have recognized witch magic when he first sensed it earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jorinda cackled. “You won’t be getting out of that. No one does.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The princess spun her neck around and stared at him. Not a spark of recognition was in her eyes. If Edward could move, he would have ground his teeth. Better yet, he would have snatched her away from the witch and tried to figure out a way to change her back, on his own if he had to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least he could breathe. That was one small consolation. He could breathe, but he couldn’t move and the princess (</span>
  <em>
    <span>who he was supposed to be protecting, dammit!</span>
  </em>
  <span>) was a goose trapped by a witch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch turned and walked away. Even with his excellent night vision, Edward soon lost track of where she was going in the thick wood. Even with her gone, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> couldn’t move. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Come on!</span>
  </em>
  <span> he yelled inside his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Figure this out!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He had first noticed something was off when the princess got thrown. He knew Rockbell, he was a good horse. In Edward’s time in Camelot none of the horses had seriously injured anyone, so it certainly wasn’t the horse. But horses had good intuition. What could it be?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if they knew he was thinking about them, they stomped their feet and snorted, anxiously pacing around… something. So they couldn’t cross a boundary that both Edward and the princess had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch. It all led back to the witch and her magic. Edward was far too familiar with witches for his liking, but he knew a little bit about their magic. Theirs in particular came with a price, usually drawn from their youth. The more a witch used her magic, the more youth she used up until she became an old woman. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward snarled. That was the second time he had made a noise. Maybe he was making progress? He tried to make another noise but failed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinked and looked up at the night sky. A small handful of stars poked through the thick canopy of leaves. He started searching them for answers, for help, for anything. He was a disgrace and he could never regain what he had lost, but maybe he could still seek help. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Come on, come on. Help me out here.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t want to think about what the witch was doing to the princess. She had mentioned something about a collection, so the princess was most likely alive. But she was still trapped as a goose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shut his eyes. No help from them, then. No surprise there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, stars above. He was screwed. The princess was a goose, he was completely frozen in place, she would never get back to Camelot safely and he had failed. Failed the kingdom that had helped him, failed the men and women who had taken him in, failed to keep the future queen of Camelot safe. He failed her most of all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no way in hell he was going to do that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been years since he had tried anything of this sort, but now he </span>
  <em>
    <span>pushed</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He pushed through the night, pushed through the spell. He simply pushed, and let himself do something he hadn’t done properly in three years: glow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light pumped through his form, crackling with energy and life, and he exploded with starlight. The spell broke and his inertia pushed him forward before he fell to his knees, panting. Sweat dripped down his neck and forehead. There was still a faint glow around him that would take a while to disperse, but he was free. He stomped to his feet, shaking the rest of the light out. The witch clearly knew what he was, but he didn’t want to risk anything else by going after the princess. Especially not her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned back to look at the horses. Both of them stared at him, completely still for the first time since arriving at this weird place. Not knowing how long he would have, he ran off in the direction the witch had left in. He crashed through the underbrush until he came to an old, elegant castle covered with vines and bird droppings. So it wasn’t just the princess Jorinda had turned into a bird. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carefully, he picked his way through and to the castle wall. The front door was open, but that was clearly a trap. Edward looked up at the walls. They were high and made of stone, but he could clearly see the easiest way to the top. He sighed, then grabbed hold of the vines and started climbing.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The goose-woman-witch took the goose to a large building. The goose-woman-witch snapped her fingers and bright yellow flames erupted in the fireplace and on torches. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The goose looked around, and immediately started honking. Cages of all shapes and sizes hung from the ceiling, completely filled with birds. Squeaking, chirping, honking, screaming, tweeting birds in cages. the goose started honking and flapping her wings, wanting, needing to get out of the goose-woman-witch’s arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. The witch-woman didn’t deserve to be a goose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The goose bit the witch-woman on the hand and fell out of her arms. She unfurled her wings and started flapping, running around the floor as fast as she could. Before long, the goose drowned out the other birds with her frantic honking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch-woman cursed and started chasing after the goose. She narrowed her eyes. There was no way she would go into one of those cages. Birds deserved to be free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The goose turned around and bit the witch-woman on the heel. She screamed, and with fiery anger in her eyes, poked the goose on her beak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The goose froze mid-honk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now I remember why I never do geese,” the witch-woman snarled. “Too much trouble.” She grabbed the goose by the neck and flung her into the closest cage. The witch-woman slammed and locked the cage door behind her. “And there you’ll stay until you can learn how to behave!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She touched the goose on the beak again, then left. The goose honked after her and threw herself against the bars of the cage, but it was no use. She even tried biting them, all to no avail. Eventually she flopped against the floor of the cage and curled her head under her wing. Where was the nice, warm man who sometimes glowed? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A thought floated to the top of the goose’s brain, but she couldn't understand it so she let it go. She almost couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t a goose. She shut her eyes tight, trying to hold onto everything. She was a goose, yes, but she was also a princess-girl. A princess-girl that didn’t want to be a goose, but she was also a goose that didn’t want to be a princess-girl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She honked mournfully. Above her, a canary tweeted, mimicking her cry. Slowly, every other bird was doing something sad, all of them crying out in their own way; whether it be chirping or pecking at the bars on the cages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The goose didn’t want to be in this cage. Birds were supposed to be free, and even if she was a princess-girl then she was still supposed to be free. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She let out a long honk that sent reverberations up the stone walls, filling the old castle with her cries.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Edward pulled himself to the top of the old castle, panting heavily. The climb had been harder than he’d initially thought, but he was at the top. Now how to get in…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The roof had stone walkways around the edges and two long wooden roofs on either side of the middle walkway. He walked around for a bit, not seeing any way to get in. He looked back up at the sky, at the stars twinkling in the sky. There were so many, and even though the moon wasn’t full and bright, it didn’t look like night. His eyes searched the familiar constellations, out of habit more than anything else. He ignored the empty spot in one of them, then turned back to trying to find a way into the castle. For whatever reason, he couldn’t find the one that the princess had pointed out to him. That, more than anything, made his heart sink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wind rustled by, sending faint sounds of birds his way. He stopped, listening. It was too cacophonous to be a single bird, and there were several different types of birds calling out. He narrowed his eyes, focusing. No, they weren’t calling out. They were wishing to be free. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward leaned over the parapet, looking for any way to get in. He moved along the wall, a small flickering light catching his eye. Being careful, he climbed back onto the vines and down to the window. It was small and didn’t have glass, but inside the room a single candle flickered, illuminating dozens of cages of all shapes and sizes, each one filled with several birds. He squeezed his way in, being careful not to hit his sword on the opening. His feet touched down on the wooden floor and he looked around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some of the birds still chirped, but most of them stared at him unblinkingly. It wasn’t creepy, but they were staring at him out of curiosity. Edward walked over to one of the cages. It had a barn owl and a raven crammed into a tiny space. There was something human behind their eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward put his gloved palm against the cage. The raven poked at it with its beak then ruffled its feathers. The wishes were stronger now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll see what I can do,” Edward whispered. “There’s someone here, like you, who got turned into a bird by the witch. I’ll free her first, but I will try. I will. I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The owl let out a low hoot. The other birds in the room copied it to the best of their ability, then they all fell silent. In the distance, Edward heard low chirps and calls echoing throughout the castle. He smiled softly then left, making the candle flame dance as he passed by it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kept close to the walls, hovering in the shadows. There were only a couple of torches lit in the hallway, barely enough to keep people from bumping into walls. Edward didn’t need the torchlight to make his way down the hallway with ease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Footsteps slid up the stairs, along with a muttering woman’s voice . Edward pressed himself flat against the wall, missing his scarlet cloak. The dark color would have helped him hide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t need it, as Jorinda walked right past him without even blinking. She stopped in the middle of the hallway however, and took a potion out of her bodice. She took the stopper out and guzzled it down in one swallow. She moaned, gagging a little bit, before making her way to one of the rooms. Edward almost followed her, but he had to get the princess and turn her back into a human. Somehow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With Jorinda out of sight, he went down the stairs less stealthily than he had been, entering the great hall. It looked similar to Camelot’s great hall, except bird cages hung from the ceiling, some of them close enough for Edward to reach up and touch. Even more bird cages were scattered all over the floor, sometimes stacked on top of each other. Some of the cages were big, some were small, and there was very little free floorspace aside from an empty area in the center of the room. Every square inch of floor was covered in hay and bird droppings. Edward picked his way through the great hall, keeping an eye out for the princess’ goose form. Just like before, all of the birds stared at him without making a single noise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He found her near the center of the room. She lay on the floor of her cage, her head and neck tucked underneath a wing. Edward crouched next to her, holding his hand out. She had hid behind him before, maybe she would still recognize him. She didn’t move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess,” Edward said, still holding his hand out. “I know you’re in there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nothing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward removed his hand from the cage and sat with his back against it. After only a few moments he felt a peck in the small of his back, and he turned his head to see the princess looking at him. Her eyes were the same blue color as a goose, but Edward didn’t know enough about geese to say if it was a goose thing, or that the princess was closer to the surface than the goose was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She poked at him again. He turned around, holding his hand out to her, and she rested her head in it. Edward didn’t move, but his eyes scanned the cage for a way to get her out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A blast of crackling, lightless energy slammed into the ground a few inches from Edward. Both him and the princess jumped. He scrambled behind the cage as she started honking. Another blast of energy came careening towards him, hitting the princess’ cage, blasting the door off of its hinges. The princess hurtled out of the cage and immediately started running around as she flapped her wings and honked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward untied his scabbard and sword from his waist and slammed it into the cage door next to him. Birds flew out and towards the stairs. Edward crawled to another cage, doing the exact same thing. He didn’t bother looking, he just needed to get the princess and get out. And figure out a way to free the birds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jorinda screamed from the stairwell, almost sounding like a bird herself, and launched another blast of energy at Edward as he moved between cages, birds swirling around him. It hit him square in the back. He cried out, the light-sucking energy coursing through his entire being. He fell face-first into the ground, his heart beating erratically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still holding the hilt of his sword, he struggled to his feet and opened three more cages before Jorinda could do anything else to him. The princess hurtled towards him, honking and flapping her wings. Edward barely managed to hop onto a cage before she ran into him. The princess turned and ran towards Jorinda, pure rage emanating from her. All of the free birds swarmed around the witch, pecking and scratching at her. She screamed again, and Edward used it as another opportunity to open another cage door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dark energy in him fizzled out and his heart stared to beat normally again. Edward gulped in air before hopping off of the cage and opening more, releasing more birds that all went to join the swarm around Jorinda. She was screaming and shooting more energy blasts, but while she was occupied by the birds Edward could free the birds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A deafening crash came from a corner of the room. The princess had ran into the potion cupboard and had smashed at least a dozen glass bottles, including destroying a majority of the old, withered wood. Edward got the feeling she had done it on purpose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the liquid from the potions spread out, gas filled the air and the floor became so sticky Edward could barely lift his foot. Trees erupted all over, and cabbage rolled across the floor, tripping several dozen birds as they took flight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The birds didn’t care. They still swirled around Jorinda in a storm of feathers, beaks, and talons. Edward stepped on the sticky floor and between full-grown trees, trying to get to the princess. His foot rolled on a piece of cabbage, sending him flying onto his back. Jorinda hit him with another beam of cracking, dark energy, this time in his side. His back arched and he yelled as that energy coursed through him for a second time. His heart skipped a beat and Edward saw stars. Two of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a scream as the cracking darkness made its way to his brain, setting every inch of him on fire, sucking almost every bit of light out of him. It faded, slowly, but he still burned with agony. His heart beat too quickly, trying to restore the damage that had been done. The princess waddled over to him, honking. She sat herself down next to him, resting her head on his chest. She looked at him before jabbing him in the stomach with her beak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward gasped and sat up. Bodies of birds circled Jorinda and she glared at the two of them, her eyes red, her twisted expression calling for blood. She stepped over the circle of dead birds, smoke rising from their bodies. Her face sagged with age and she was half the height she was before, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t still dangerous. In fact, that made her even more so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She bent low to the ground and picked up a glass shard. The princess stood in front of him, hissing, her wings spread out. Jorinda grinned, her teeth yellow and sharp. Jorinda shattered the glass in her grip. Energy formed in the palm of her hand, snapping and popping like broken glass. A low thrum pulsed through Edward’s ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward saw it happen in slow motion. Jorinda extended her hand towards the princess. She didn’t move out of the way, she couldn’t. A beam like that would kill her. Edward pushed her out of the way, catching the beam with his own arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dark energy surrounded him, pushed into him, but this time he was ready. It still hurt like hell, it still tore through him like a heated, serrated knife, but it never reached his heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He harkened back to the wishes he had heard, from the birds upstairs who just wished to be free. He was exhausted, he was completely drained, he wasn’t sure he would live through this, he hadn’t granted a wish in three years, let alone one as big as this. Even still, he took those wishes into himself and clapped his hands. Lightning formed around his hands, blue and shimmering and he slammed his hands onto the ground.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fun fact: I based goose!Winry off of the goose from the "Untitled Goose Game." She lives in my head, rent-free. Constantly. Never leaves. She's rather like a goose, in that regard.</p><p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the aftermath of the battle at the witch's castle, Winry has no recollection of what happened, and Edward is sick from... whatever happened. A kind woman offers to take them to her home; but when she does, shadows lurk in the corners.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a general thing: I did include the Tuckers into this, but I refuse to let anything bad happen to Nina, so she's perfectly safe.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Winry blinked, the crusties that were in the corners of her eyes kept them from opening fully. She wiped them away with her fingers, surprised that she didn’t have feathers. She blinked. Why would she have feathers?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat up, immediately regretting any and all decisions that lead her to this pounding, violent headache all around her head. She shut her eyes and let some of the dizziness fade before standing up, blinking away the spots in her vision. She almost didn’t recognize where she was, but there was a tickle in the back of her mind that told her this was familiar somehow. There were demolished cages, a small forest encased by walls, and figures strewn out all over the place. There were a clump of birds close by and a familiar mop of blond hair a few feet away. Ignoring her headache, Winry knelt down next to Edward and rolled him onto his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was pale and his hair stuck out in odd directions, but his chest was moving. Winry let out a sigh of relief. This place gave her a weird feeling, but seeing that Edward was okay calmed some of her nerves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry rubbed her forehead, annoyed. Why would he not be okay? The last thing she remembered was… was…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch, freezing up, not being able to breathe, Edward’s gold eyes lit with rage and fear and worry, and feathers. Lots and lots of feathers. If he was here now that meant he had somehow been freed from the witch’s freezing spell, but beyond that, Winry had no idea. She reached for her mother’s necklace, coming up with nothing. It wasn’t there. She ran her hands through her hair and pulled at it, which only made her headache worse. Where had it gone? Her mother had given it to her, to go with the promise she had made, and now it was gone. Missing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry scanned the wood around her, frantic. She had to find it, but she also didn’t want to leave Edward alone, especially if she didn’t know what any of this was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat back, her legs tingling from kneeling for so long. Slowly, she reached out and pressed the back of her hand against Edward’s forehead. His forehead burned and his skin was clammy, but his hands were cold and clammy. Winry looked around for something that could help her, someone that could help him. She was a princess, not a healer. She didn’t even know what was wrong with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few feet from where Edward lay, a woman moaned in pain. Winry was loath to leave Edward by himself, but this was only a few feet away, so she risked it. She was still close to hear and see if anything changed. She crawled over to the woman and froze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was clearly the witch, even though her hair was gone and her skin was paler than snow and she was mostly skin and bone. Her eyes, however, stared at Winry with bloodshot fury. “You,” she gasped, little more than a puff of air. “You did this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She reached out for Winry, her withered hand trembling as she curled her fist into a claw. Before Winry could do anything, another woman stepped on the witch’s arm, breaking it. The witch cried out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re lucky he didn’t kill you,” the other woman snarled. She had long brown hair tied into two braids that nearly reached the floor and wore a simple kirtle with an apron tied around her waist. She looked down at Winry. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman turned back to the witch. “I should kill you right now, for what you did to me. What you did to all of us.” Dozens of other women stood up and circled around Winry and the witch, leaving room for Edward to lay by himself. “You took two years of my life. I haven’t seen my daughter in two years, and it’s all your fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You stepped onto my land,” the witch gasped .</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you lured us here,” said another woman that wore a blue dress and blonde hair that hung to the middle of her back. Winry recognized her, but didn’t remember from where. “One by one until you had your collection of birds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some of us missed out on lifetimes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Families.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Children.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spouses.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Parents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been here for over a hundred years, trapped in the body of a chickadee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You turned me into a toucan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first brown-haired woman with the braids pointed to the bodies of the birds. “You killed them like it wasn’t even a second thought to you. Once </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>arrived, it was like we didn’t matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which we never did. To you, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were your </span>
  <em>
    <span>pets</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” spat a woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman Winry recognized came and helped her to her feet. “We should kill you, but we won’t,” she said with her attention on the witch but holding Winry’s hands. Everyone turned to look at her. “The more you use magic, the more it eats your age. You’ll be dead in a few hours, and I won’t let you have him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked back at Edward. What had happened?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman took her foot off of the witch's arm and turned to Winry. “My name is Amilyn Tucker, your highness,” she said with a curtsy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry blinked. “How did you know I was a princess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amilyn pointed to Edward. “He called you princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled and shook her head. “Yeah, he does that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde woman let go of Winry and turned to Edward. “I don’t recognize him. Is he new?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned back to Winry, her head cocked to the side. “I’m one of your father’s knights.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s eyes widened with sudden realization. “You’re Riza Hawkeye, aren’t you? You disappeared when I was a child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riza nodded. “Your father asked me to investigate what is going on with Stormhold. Rumor has it that the eldest daughter is planning to take over and that she wants to expand Stormhold to be even bigger than it already is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head. “Three years ago, the king died, and the two oldest children have been in a succession war ever since. Other kingdoms are using the chaos of that to try and expand their own borders, even coming so far as to attack Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riza’s eyes widened. “What? What are you doing out here, then? Camelot is the safest place for you, unless something’s happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked at Edward, then told Riza everything of what was going on. She didn’t mind that the other women were listening in, they had just been birds after all and Winry trusted them. The more Winry said, the darker Riza’s expression grew. The other women whispered to each other, captivated by Winry’s story and what had been going on in Faerie for the past several years. She finished the tale, and silence hung in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to go back,” Riza said. “Normally I would accompany you, but if Camelot is close to getting attacked, then they need all the help they can get. Besides, you’re in capable hands.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both looked at Edward. “Except he’s sick,” said Winry, “and I don’t know how he got this way, or even what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The potions,” said a red-haired woman. “She smashed almost all of them in the chaos.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can help,” said Amilyn. “My husband is a doctor, and I don’t live too far from here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry considered Amilyn’s offer, and thought of the woman’s home. She was right, it was only a few miles away, and the tug pulling Winry to this spot was gone. The witch’s magic was almost out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” she said. “Help me move him, we have horses just outside the witch’s boundary.” She looked around her, at the various women all looking at her. “I understand if you don’t want to help, if you want to go back to your lives—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course we’ll help,” said one of the women. “He freed us. If it wasn’t for him, we’d still be birds and she would still have her magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. She quickly organized the women into groups: one to carry Edward to the horses, one to bury the dead birds, and others to see if there was anything salvageable in the castle. As she did this, Riza just smiled. Once the groups scattered, she touched Winry on the shoulder. “You’re just like your father,” she said with a smile. “When you become queen, I will be glad to follow you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen anytime soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riza laughed, then went to help the women digging through the castle. Winry had put her in charge, knowing that she would have to leave with Edward sooner rather than later. They all understood, and with any luck, they would be back home to their families and loved ones in no time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry helped three other women carry Edward out of the castle and to the horses. Amilyn walked with them, and together they managed to tie him to Alexander. “Thank you for your help,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, thank you,” said one of the women. “If you hadn’t been traveling with him, we would still be stuck as birds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all bowed, including Amilyn, making Winry blush. She hadn’t done anything, but she bowed back. They left, leaving Amilyn behind. “Shall we?” she asked, taking Alexander by the reins. Winry took Rockbell’s reins, and spotted something in the thick grass. She bent down and picked it up, almost crying from relief. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” asked Amilyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry put her mother’s necklace on. “My mother gave this to me before I left, and I thought I lost it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amilyn smiled. “I’m glad you found it again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Together they walked through the dense forest. They talked, but not about what had happened. Mostly, Amilyn talked about her daughter, Nina, who had been two last time she had seen her. Winry heard the stories of Nina’s first steps, her first words, and times the little girl had brought wild animals into the house, claiming they were her pets. Most of the stories were funny, but Amilyn had a deep sadness in her. She didn’t mention it, but Winry figured she was nervous about seeing her daughter again. She had disappeared without a word two years before, how would she respond? Would she even recognize her mother?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry talked about her own mother, about the things no one saw in the queen of Camelot. There was one story in particular, the one with honey bees and the blacksmith, that had the two of them stopped in the middle of the road, laughing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Occasionally, Winry would put her hand on Edward’s forehead. He wasn’t getting worse, but he also wasn’t getting any better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few hours later, they left the forest and entered farmland. Amilyn walked along the path with ease, fidgeting with her hair. Winry walked close to Amilyn. “Could you not tell people that I’m a princess? Or from Camelot? I’m supposed to be in hiding, and I probably shouldn’t have said anything back there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your secrets are safe with me,” Amilyn said with a nod. “I won’t even tell Nina, even though she’ll be devastated if she finds out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If she does, I’ll tell her everything myself. Thank you, Amilyn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked in silence from then out, ignoring the looks from people that were working in the fields. Sometimes someone would call out for Amilyn, but she just waved and continued walking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before much longer, they came to a cluster of buildings. Amilyn walked up to one and raised her hand to knock, hesitating. “What if they’ve moved on?” she whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry put a hand on Amilyn’s forearm. “They didn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shrugged. “At least go in for Nina. She deserves to know her mother.” Winry took her hand off of Amilyn’s forearm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amilyn knocked on the door. Shuffling came from inside before a man opened it. He was average, with a thin build and a long face, and he wore small, round spectacles at the end of his nose. He blinked, then his eyes widened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shou,” said Amilyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A little girl poked her head out. She looked just like Amilyn, even down to the twin braids on either side of her head. “Daddy, who’s there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shou picked Nina up, bringing her to eye level with Amilyn. “That’s your mother,” he said, his voice completely devoid of emotion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina’s face lit up and a wide grin split across her face. “Mommy! You’re back!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amilyn choked out a sob, bringing a hand to her mouth. “Yes, sweetheart. I’m here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina held her hands out to her, and Shou handed her over to Amilyn, almost reluctantly. Nina wrapped her arms around Amilyn’s neck, and Amilyn hugged her daughter right back. Winry stood there, glad to see this happy reunion. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, a little awkward watching the exchange. Edward was still strapped to Alexander, and they had been walking for hours. He still hadn’t changed, but Winry would feel a lot less anxious once he got some help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shou turned to her, almost as if he had detected her thoughts. “I apologize, I didn’t see you there.” He glanced at Edward on the horse. “Do you need help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina and Amylin broke apart, Amilyn still holding her daughter with Nina’s arms resting on her shoulders. “Yes, these two helped me escape from a witch’s curse, and in the process--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shou walked past Amilyn and to the horses, checking over Edward once he got there. Winry held on tighter to the reins. Shou checked Edward’s pulse, his breathing, he even lifted an eyelid to look at his eye. Amilyn repositioned Nina on her hip, her face devoid of emotion as she watched her husband. Shou sniffed. “Let’s take him inside so I can try and narrow down what exactly is wrong with him.” He turned to Winry. “How did he get like this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stammered. “I actually don’t remember what happened. I’m sure Amilyn knows. Right?” Amilyn nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, well, let’s see what we can do. Nina, why don’t you take the horses to the back and we can untie this young man and carry him inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can Mommy come with me?” Nina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, of course,” Shou said, waving his hand. He untied Edward, and Winry handed the reins over to Amilyn. She helped Shou carry Edward inside the one-room house, laying him on the bed. “Would you mind getting some water? The well is a few hundred feet to the south, the bucket is over there in the corner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” She picked up the bucket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never did get your name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Winry,” she said, cringing. She was being far too careless today. She left before he could ask her any more questions, going out to the well. She passed by Amilyn and Nina, who were sitting together, and smiled. She quickly fetched the water, lugging it back to the house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Shou said when she entered. She set the bucket of water down next to him. “You may go outside now, I have everything under control.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need peace and quiet to work effectively, Miss Winry. I’m sure my daughter would love to play with you. And please close the door behind you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked between Shou and Edward. She put a hand on Edward’s shoulder and squeezed it before going outside, shutting the door behind her. She hovered by the door for several minutes, listening, but heard nothing so she went back to where Nina and Amilyn were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been right, Nina loved playing with her. It was a nice distraction from worrying about Edward. He had done so much for her and others, and now he lay on a bed, sick, and she couldn’t help him. Not like he had helped her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her headache had lessened some throughout the day, but it came back, so she sat in the shade of the house while Amilyn played with Nina. The little girl loved climbing on Alexander and squealing, shouting: “Ride, horsey, ride!” all the while giggling. Sometimes Winry slipped away and pressed her ear up against the door. Only for a few moments, then she’d be back and laughing along with Nina and Amilyn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was odd not to have Edward right next to her, so when Shou came out and said it was okay to see him, Winry ran inside. His hair was out of its signature braid, strewn all over the pillow like molten gold in the late afternoon light. He had a damp rag on his forehead and the blanket came under his armpits, his light undershirt poking out. She pulled up a stool and sat on it. She grabbed Edward’s hand, holding onto it with both of hers, and waited. His fingers sent tingles up and down her arm, like tiny shocks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the oddest thing,” Shou said from over her shoulder. Winry jumped a bit, spinning around, but she still held onto Edward’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never treated anyone like him. I got shocked when I first put the rag on him..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry turned back to Edward. “At least the shocks have died down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That they have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina came rushing in. “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, look at what me and Mommy found!” She held up a small toad, which promptly hopped out of her hand and onto the floor. Amilyn swept in and picked it up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shou bent down to his daughter’s eye-level and ruffled her hair. “That’s nice, Nina, but please don’t bring frogs inside the house. We’ve talked about this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mommy says it’s a toad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” said Shou, taking her hand. “Let’s go outside, okay?” He led Nina outside, followed at some distance by Amilyn. Winry watched them go, then turned back to Edward. His breathing was more even now. It was well after midday, and he slept on. Winry didn’t leave his side as the rest of the day wore on. She replaced his damp rag when it got too warm, brushed his bangs out of the way, and kept holding onto his hand. The little shocks faded after some time, and Edward still didn’t wake up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a while, Amilyn came in and placed a hand on Winry’s shoulder, telling her that they were eating dinner outside. Winry shook her head. She wasn’t going to leave Edward alone, not until he woke up. That’s what they did, and she wasn’t going to stop now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later, Shou placed two bowls of soup by Winry, telling her that she should feed him some broth. She did once he left, and waited. The shadows lengthened. Winry could see stars poking out through the night sky when she glanced out of the window. Shou came back in, telling her that him and his family were going to sleep in the barn, a typical response to him having patients and that she was welcome to use the bed if she so wished. Winy only protested a little, but neither her nor Shou wanted to move Edward again. And she wouldn’t leave his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still he slept on. Both bowls of soup grew cold. Winry blinked her eyes, repeatedly, to keep herself awake. But it was no use. Before she knew it, she had slumped over, her head resting between him and the edge of the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only a few moments passed before she felt a hand on the back of her head, smoothing her hair down. She opened her eyes and looked into Edward’s groggy eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, princess,” he croaked out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She almost cried from relief. “You’re awake,” was all she managed to say once her brain caught up with her mouth.. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward snorted. “Barely. Where are we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry explained what had happened, from waking up that morning and seeing him out cold, to coming to the Tucker residence. Edward yawned, his eyes fluttering. Winry reached up and brushed his bangs out of his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch; that, or he was starting to nod off again. “Sleep,” she whispered, strands of his hair falling in between her fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about you?” he asked, half-asleep already. “Isn’t this when you normally sleep?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded off his cheek pressing into the palm of her hand. His skin was feeling a lot less clammy, although his forehead was still hot. Winry replaced the rag and smoothed it over his forehead with her other hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward woke up three more times, each time only for a few minutes. As much as Winry’s body wanted her to sleep, Edward woke up at the moment she was about to nod off, and that alone kept her going. He never said much, mostly delirious from sleep and his fever, but he was always back asleep within minutes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just before dawn broke, Amilyn walked in. Sometime during the night, Winry had moved to the floor, propping her elbows up on the bed, a sitting position much more comfortable than the floor. Amilyn knelt down next to Winry and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Did you not sleep?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head, too tired to say anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amilyn helped her to her feet. “Come on,” she said. “You need your sleep just as much as he does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll keep an eye on him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry let herself be led out of the house and to the barn, past Shou who was cutting wood. Amilyn put her next to Nina, who was still asleep. Winry’s last conscious thought was how similar the hay felt to Edward’s hand on the back of her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt the passage of time as she slept, but it was well past midday when she stumbled out of the barn, nearly tripping over Nina. “Big sister!” she cried, grabbing Winry by the hand and dragging her to the back. She couldn’t quite pronounce Winry’s name, so she had settled on the “big sister” nickname the day before. “Let’s play, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course,” she said, still a little groggy. “I’ll be right back, though. I need to see if my friend is okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Mommy and Daddy say that he’s fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled and knelt down so she was eye level with Nina. “I’m sure he is, but I’m worried about him and he’s my best friend, so I need to see for myself if he’s okay.” Her only real friend, now that she thought of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it. When Elicia gets hurt, I always want to go over and play dollies with her to make her feel better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry grinned. “Just like that. But I’ll be back, I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina held out her hand, her pinky outstretched. “Pinky promise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry wrapped her pinky around Nina’s “Pinky promise.” She stood up and made her way around the house, pausing in the doorway. Shou was sitting on a stool close to Edward, darning one of his socks. Edward was still asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up at her. “There’s been no change, I’m afraid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Has he woken up at all?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry walked in hesitantly. Shou turned back to his sock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” he said, “I could easily have my wife do this, but I’ve gotten so used to doing these tasks for myself that I just didn’t bother with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is Amilyn now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Visiting some friends of hers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stood next to Edward and brushed some hair out of his face. “Will you let me know when he wakes up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She left, leaving a lingering touch on Edward’s shoulder before going outside with Nina. Her face lit up when she saw Winry, and held out one of her rag dolls to her. Winry took it, kneeling down next to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That one is named Wetty because I dropped her in the river one time. This one is named Rockta, because I dropped a rock on her one time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to meet you, Wetty and Rockta,” said Winry, shaking both of the dolls’ hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you too!” Nina said, waving Rockta around. To be fair, the two dolls looked exactly the same, but as long as Nina could tell them apart, Winry didn’t mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They played House for a few hours, making little beds out of straw and using Rockbell and Alexander as the houses themselves. Rockbell minded much more than Alexander did; Winry spent most of her time making sure her horse wouldn’t scare Nina. Alexander on the other hand adored Nina, to the point where he even knelt down at one point to let her climb all over him. House turned into Climb-on-Alexander, which turned into Nina riding Alexander with Winry holding onto her to make sure that she wouldn’t fall off. It was exhausting, jumping from one thing to another with a four-year-old leading the way, but Winry would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t have fun. It also provided a nice distraction from thinking about Edward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Winry was playing with Nina, Amilyn came back, asking Winry if she could play with Nina. Winry of course said yes, and went to put Alexander away. She passed by an open window and peered in. Edward was still there, but Shou Tucker was missing. Winry put Alexander away as quickly as possible and rushed inside the house. He was nowhere to be seen. It was a one-room house and there was nowhere to hide, and Winry would have seen if he had left. She walked over to the table, where a sock lay, it’s darning unfinished. She poked her head outside. No sign of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind her, Edward stirred, and she was at his side in an instant. “Hey,” she said, tucking her dress under her knees and sitting on the stool.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward blinked. “Hi. The person… face… man said you weren’t nearby last time I woke up.” He yawned. Winry frowned, Shou had said he hadn’t woken up. “It’s good to see you, princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled. “How are you feeling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I’ve been kicked in the head about a thousand times and then stabbed in the gut.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry put the back of her hand on his forehead. “Well, you still have a fever, so that makes sense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward groaned. “I hate being unable to do anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t. Not until your fever has broken, at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you wish, princess.” He reached up and took her hand off of his forehead. “Sorry,” he said, “your hand was heating me up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you need a new rag?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, what I need is to get up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been out of it for over a day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly, that’s my point.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry glanced outside. “It’s still daytime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward narrowed his eyes at her. “Dammit. You’ve figured me out, haven’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled, placing her chin on her arm, which meant kneeling down. “I should hope not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that supposed to mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nevermind. Don’t worry about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward propped himself up on his elbow, a smile playing at his lips and a twinkle in his eye. “Now I’m nervous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shrugged. “I just think there’s more to you that I haven’t seen. If I know everything about you by now, then that makes our friendship pretty redundant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His smile faded, but only a little. “Anyway, I should be looking after you, not the other way around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you really shouldn’t. Right now you need rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He flopped back, his gold hair flying out from underneath him. “I feel so </span>
  <em>
    <span>useless</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry grabbed onto the ends of some of Edward’s hair and twisted it between her fingers. He didn’t seem to notice. “How about I braid your hair?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinked at her. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You always wear your hair in a braid, so I figured if it’s in the braid you’ll feel like your old self.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward rolled his eyes, but he still smiled nonetheless. “You do realize that I usually don’t let anyone touch my hair? Ever?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stopped playing with the ends of his hair. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned his head to look straight at her. “Only as long as you don’t rip it all out. Or tangle it. And make sure I don’t collapse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “You’re going to let me braid your hair?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged. “It’s not like anyone else is offering.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only if you want to. I don’t want to force you to do anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess. Just braid my damn hair already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you said--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said ‘usually.’ Clearly, you fall outside that category.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stood up and helped Edward to a sitting position. She crawled behind him and curled her legs up, using them as a way to keep Edward in a sitting position. Edward handed her a piece of leather from over his shoulder. She took it and started separating his hair into three sections. He had a lot of hair but it was fine, almost like the texture of spun light. To her, the only things in the world that warranted her attention was Edward leaning up against her legs and her fingers putting his hair into a plait. Before long, she tied it off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There we go,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward felt at it with his fingers. “Not bad princess,” he said. “I could have done better, but not bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry poked him in the shoulder. “I braided my hair almost every day back at Ca--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello,” said Edward, louder than was necessary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked away from Edward and at Shou Tucker, who stood in the doorway, holding a pail of water. He set it on the ground and walked over to Edward and Winry. “How are you feeling?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great,” said Edward. “A lot better. It’d be nice if I could go to the bathroom, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry pulled her hair in front of her face and started counting the split ends. Maybe Shou wouldn’t notice the blush on her cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe later. Miss Winry, I believe my daughter was asking after you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry left the room without a word, slipping past Shou on her way out. Once she was out, away from people and the house she stared at the farmland, at the sun slowly descending towards the horizon.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Edward and Winry make plans.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Shorter chapter this time, but this is more of a transition than anything else. Enjoy!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Later that night, Winry stood just outside of the doorway and looked up at the sky. The moon hung at its highest point with the stars twinkling in the sky and a warm breeze surrounded her. She inhaled deeply and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Staying up at night for Edward was throwing her sleeping patterns off and she now understood why Edward was always a little groggy. But he did it for her anyway, so the least she could do was to stay awake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Camelot didn’t put faith in the skies. She had heard of people worshipping the sun, the stars, the moon, even the clouds. Her people had never had any reason to worship those entities, simply because they were natural phenomena. They had a history of magical beings aiding them, but not once had the stars come down to help them in their times of need. Besides, it wasn’t like Merlin or the Lady of the Lake saved the day. Ordinary people had done that. From Arthur to Erina to her own father, it had been humans who had been the ones to aid and protect her people. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She still found herself staring at the stars, trying to decipher some ancient, ethereal puzzle. Maybe it could have been called praying, but that wasn’t the right word for it. She had always found comfort in the stars, had always looked for the stories that were written in the skies. Maybe she was odd. Winry looked down at the dirt path leading from the door to the road, then back up at the moon. A cloud obscured the bottom half, dimming the light around her. She closed her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please,” she whispered. “Let him be okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waited. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was waiting for, half-hoping that some magical beam of starlight would come down and heal Edward of his fever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air grew chilly. Nothing happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sighed and went back into the house. Edward was still lying on the bed, his eyes closed. At least he wasn’t gripping the blankets. He looked almost peaceful. Winry sat down on the stool and placed the back of her hand on his forehead. She froze mid-yawn and flipped her hand over. Nothing. There was no heat, no chills. Winry’s hand moved to the side of his face. There was a slight shimmer in his hair and his face seemed lighter. The only way Winry could describe it was starlight. He looked like starlight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward’s chest rose as he breathed in, deeply, before releasing the air in a steady stream. His eyes fluttered open and he squinted and looked at the end of the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” said Winry, still tired but unable to keep a smile off of her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alphonse?” Edward mumbled, his voice scratching. “That you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s face fell. “It’s me. Winry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward blinked and looked over at her. He glanced back at the end of the bed. “Never mind. What are you still doing up?” He rubbed the sleep from his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your fever broke.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sat up and tucked his hair behind his ear. “Are you sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded, her hands falling into her lap. “You were delirious for almost two days. What happened back there at the castle? Do you know why you became so sick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked around the room as if he was truly seeing it for the first time. Then his golden eyes met hers. In the light of the stars filtering in through the window, they looked like pools of molten gold. He looked away, muttering something under his breath. “Thank you, princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corners of Winry’s mouth lifted into a smile. “It’s no problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward lifted the blanket off of his legs and stood up. Winry followed, her hands outstretched and ready to catch him if he fell. “I can walk on my own,” he said with a hint of a smirk, flipping his braided hair behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have been sick in bed for two days. Your fever broke just minutes ago, so if you’re going to walk anywhere I’m going to help you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised his eyebrows. “Even to the bathroom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry set her jaw. “Even to the bathroom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sighed. “Okay, fine. But I don’t need you holding me upright. If I start to fall, then you catch me. All right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. They walked out of the one-room house. Winry led him to the outhouse and stood a fair distance away. While she waited she looked up at the stars again. Just little lights, twinkling in the sky. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed the stars while the witch had held her tight. Sometimes, when she closed her eyes, she could see Edward’s frozen face with dozens of emotions flashing across it. That had scared her more than anything else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to hide it, but Ed wore his heart on his sleeve. He had loosened up the more they traveled together, becoming easier to talk to and to laugh with. At times it seemed like they were the only ones in Faerie. That night in the castle had been a rude awakening, and she couldn’t even remember most of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Winry, remember,” she grumbled, hitting her forehead with the heel of her hand. “It’s got to be in there somewhere.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward came back. “You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” Winry exclaimed. She dropped her hands to her side. “Yes. Yeah. I’m fine. Just lost in thought, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corners of Edward’s mouth turned up. “Don’t get too lost or you won’t come back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward turned his face up to the sky. “So. What’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve been stuck in one place for too long. And before you say anything, no, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Well, maybe mine, but that’s not the point.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You had a bad fever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just stating the facts.” He sighed. “That, and I don’t like the feeling of…” He snapped his fingers together. “What’s-his-face. The man with the flat nose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Tucker?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Him. I’m getting a weird feeling off of him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry furrowed her brow. “What kind of feeling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dunno. A weird one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry would be lying to herself if she didn’t say Edward was right. And his gut feeling had been right in the forest. “Well, he did help heal you,” she said almost half-heartedly, already knowing where he was going with this. She got the same feeling from Shou, but in that moment all she thought of was Nina and Amilyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that’s what I don’t get. I don’t know, maybe I’m too out of it.” He sighed, then glanced over at her for a split second, his face still turned upwards. “Thank you, princess. Again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s fingers reached out and rested against the back of Edward’s hand. Her pinky finger wrapped around his and his thumb rested on top of hers. Slowly, as the stars shifted in the sky their fingers became loosely intertwined. “Well,” she said, “whatever you want to do, I’ll do as well. Although I still want to know what happened at the witch’s castle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward let go of her hand and crossed his arms in front of his chest, closing her off. “As you wish, princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stepped in front of him, keeping her hands to her sides. “Is everything okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes met hers. Neither of them moved, Winry almost didn’t dare breathe. One of his fingers twitched. Winry had to resist the urge to brush a strand of hair out of his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” he said, looking away and stepping aside. “You need to rest. We’ll be leaving in the morning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He started to walk away, but Winry stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Edward. You’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t say anything. Winry sighed and let go of his shoulder, falling into step behind him. They made it to the house, Edward insisting that she sleep in the bed. “I’ll be right here,” he said, standing by the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you just—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face softened. “I’ll be fine, princess. Besides, I won’t be alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked up at the stars. “No. I guess you won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She fell asleep the second that she closed her eyes. She was shaken awake almost an hour before dawn by Edward, who said that they should get going before the sun rose. Before he’d be asleep again. Winry nodded and together they snuck over to the barn, the door squeaking as they opened it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A figure sat up. Both Edward and Winry froze. The shadows were deep in the barn so she couldn’t tell who it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” a small voice called out. Nina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded to Edward and put a hand up. He nodded back and waked silently over to the horses. Winry crept over to Nina as quietly as she could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Big sister?” Nina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry put a finger over her lips. “Hey,” she whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you going somewhere?” Nina asked as softly as she could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry glanced over at Edward. “Yes. My friend is okay, so we’re leaving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s heart ached. Nina was a sweet little girl, and she deserved an explanation. An explanation that Winry wasn’t sure how to give. “Ask your mom,” she said. “I’m sure she’ll tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina threw her arms around Winry’s neck. “I’ll miss Alexander. And you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’ll miss you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward gestured at Winry. “Tell your mom thanks for us, okay?” Winry said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. I’ll see you again, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina gave her one last hug before Winry followed Edward out of the barn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s a cute kid,” he said, giving her the reins to Rockbell</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry glanced back. “Yeah,” she said. ”I just… don’t feel right leaving them now. Without a proper goodbye. Even if Shou was weird, Amilyn and Nina weren’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sighed. “We’re here to keep you safe, princess. Staying in one place for too long can be dangerous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded and blinked tears away from her eyes. “I know.” She climbed onto Rockbell. “Let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time the sun rose, they were miles away from Amilyn, Nina, and Shou. Neither Edward nor Winry spoke until they made camp in a clearing just outside of the farmland. “I shouldn’t be asleep for long,” Edward yawned. “Wake me up if anything happens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded and tied the horses up. Within minutes, Edward was sound asleep just as the sun started to peek above the horizon. Winry looked up at the last star. “We’ll see them again.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave comments/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zolf Kimblee, the notorious Crimson Sorcerer, is freed from prison to track down and kill Winry by order of the sixth prince of Amestris, Bradley, in his quest to rule over Camelot.</p><p>Lavina is on Edward's tail, and she stumbles upon the former witch's castle. Guidance is given, plans are laid in place, and a trap is starting to form.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kimblee is a pretty major antagonist (after Lavina, of course) and he is going to show up fairly often. Edward and Winry will be back soon, but being in the minds of the villains is fun. At least I think it is.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Metal clanged against metal and Zolf opened his eyes with a grin. No one came to his section of the dungeon anymore, the pit at the lowest point. Small pinpricks of light beamed down from the covering in his hole. He stretched, his back popping as the manhole cover lifted with an even louder scraping noise. He squinted his eyes against the light, but didn’t move. They were here to see him, not the other way around. Which would mean they wanted something from him. He had the power here, it wouldn't do to give it up to his captors. He grinned as a ladder lowered down and heavy feet descended until they came to rest on the dusty stone floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cracked an eye open and grinned. “Well, I didn’t expect to see a prince of Amestris here in my lowly cell. What brings you here, Bradley?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Swords came out of their sheathes in an instant, all pointed at Zolf, but Bradley held his hand up. “He can’t do anything while chained to the wall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf rolled into a sitting position. Two guards stood behind Bradley, brandishing swords, but the man himself stood with his hands behind his back, calm as the ocean. “Oh, you don’t know that for sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right. I don’t know for sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf narrowed his eyes. Bradley was up to something. “Why come to see me? I am a traitor to your lovely father, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bradley turned to the guards. “Leave us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guards looked at each other, once, before climbing up the ladder. Bradley waited until the two of them were alone to say anything. “I have a proposition for you. Are you aware of the war?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which war? There’s at least three going on right now. Unless I’m woefully misinformed, being in a pit and all.” His hands still chained to the wall, he gestured around the small, circular chamber. His chains rattled as he moved them around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s about to be one more. Have you heard of Camelot?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf smirked. “Who hasn’t? It’s one of the oldest kingdoms in Faerie, but I doubt you’re here for a history lesson.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I’m not.” He stepped closer to Zolf. “I want to take Camelot as my own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf leaned back and crossed his arms. It was difficult while being chained to the wall, but he managed it after some adjustment. “That’s a stupid move. Both the king and queen are alive, and they have a daughter. There’s no way you can conquer Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I’ve received word that she is no longer in Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf grinned. He could see where this was going. “You want me to kill her, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And in exchange for me killing the princess…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You go free. Give me proof that the princess is dead, and once I become king of Camelot you’ll be free to do whatever you wish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how do you know that I won’t go ahead and kill you? You obviously need me more than I need you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s where you’re wrong.” Bradley pulled out a pouch from his belt. A faint, pulsing light emanated from it and Kimblee’s mouth salivated. “You know what this is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The heart of a star,” he whispered. “My very last bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You get this when the girl is dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf grinned. “Well, I guess I won’t be killing the girl for you. I need that heart, it has my magic. Something that I need. Call it… flavor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bradly pocketed the pouch. “And you will get it. When she’s dead. With a man of your skill it should be easy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf glowered at the prince. “Is she alone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. A boy not much older than she is traveling with her. It should be simple work.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf weighed his options. It wasn’t even hard, with both the promise of killing someone and getting what remained of the star’s heart. “All right,” he said, standing up. “Get me out of this hell-pit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>-oOo-</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina threw her runestones into the air and caught them, closing her fist around them. Her chariot and the two goats she had stolen were standing by the river. The goats chewed on the grass as Lavina stalked around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That can’t be right,” she snarled, flipping her auburn locks over her shoulder. “Attleval Forest, are you sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She threw the runes again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina sighed, pocketing her runes. Attleval Forest was hard to navigate at the best of times, and most people avoided it anyway. “What is that star doing?” she mumbled. It was leading her on a wild goose-chase, almost as if it knew it was being followed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She climbed into her chariot and the goats snapped to attention. She flicked her whip, and the two little beats started trotting into the woods. Every once in a while, Lavina re-oriented herself using her runestones. The day wore on, and the deeper she went the more she felt tingles in the air, like little sparks dancing just under her skin. At first they felt like a flies landing on her hand, then she got the constant urge to sneeze. She didn’t pay it any heed at first, she was constantly itchy, but it grew beyond that. Finally, she put her runestones away for good and tried to figure out which way the tingles were getting stronger. It took her a long time, and she got lost more than once, but she came to a stone structure that had trees growing from inside it. The odd thing was, if it wasn’t for their size, they would have looked to be young. Almost too young. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She climbed out of the chariot. “Stay,” she snapped to the goats. Her fingernails ran over her forearm, trying to scratch away the incessant </span>
  <em>
    <span>itching</span>
  </em>
  <span> there, almost as if there were mites crawling around under her skin. She almost swore her skin was </span>
  <em>
    <span>moving</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While she scratched her forearm, she lifted her silk skirts off of the forest floor and picked around the dense underbrush. The plants picked at her linen stockings, and she almost screamed out of frustration. Why couldn’t the star be in normal places, like cities or well-traveled roads? It almost defeated the purpose of her having a chariot in the first place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A branch hit her right in the nose. She froze, her shaking hand curling into a fist. She stopped moments before she summoned her magic. Her magic needed to last, at least until she found the star. She pulled her hair back from her face and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. Isador swore by the power of breathing and its many properties. Normally she would have scoffed, but Lavina needed to do something otherwise she would use her magic up and the heart she had eaten wouldn’t last as long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Breathe in, breathe out. It didn’t do anything. She still wanted to fire a phantom blast at the nearest tree to watch it explode into an array of satisfying splinters and a mass of smoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ducked under the branch and stepped over a pile of crumbled stone. The tingling was strong, stronger than it had been only steps before. A few yards away a group of women sat together, talking. Their ages ranged from old women to preteen girls. There was clearly one woman who was in charge, a blonde with an elegant, yet functional, blue dress. She stood up the moment she saw Lavina. “Don’t come any closer,” she snapped as she glared at Lavina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina held up her hands, her eyes scanning each of the women. None of them were glowing, but the star wasn’t an idiot. It would keep it’s heart under control. “I am but a simple traveler,” she said, raising the pitch of her voice, making it light and airy. More trustworthy. “I was lost, and I was wandering around until I stumbled here.” She hoped she was playing the part of the airhead well. “Please help me.” Yes, that was good. Asking for help usually went over well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde narrowed her eyes. She was pretty, with bangs falling over her forehead and milk-white skin. She had age lines, however. She clearly wasn’t young. And, if Lavina wasn’t mistaken, she had too many freckles from too much sun exposure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stepped closer to Lavina, her stance that of a warrior. “We have one dead witch already. I suggest you leave before we get another.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina looked around. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said anyway, still playing a part. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another woman stood up, this one with curly brown hair that hung down to her mid-back. “How do you know she’s a witch?” she asked, stepping closer to the blonde but never taking her eyes off of Lavina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a gut feeling,” said the blonde, still glaring at Lavina. “Besides, she wasn’t freed by Edward. I’ve talked to each of those women several times by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman with brown hair turned her back to Lavina and whispered to the blonde. “What should we do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina noticeably sighed, her hands still up in the air. “Fine,” she said, dropping her act. “I’m a witch. But I don’t mean any of you harm, that I swear on my sisterhood. I’m just looking for someone, and if you can tell me where they’ve gone, then I’ll leave as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde narrowed her eyes even more. “If you’re a witch, then I know exactly what you’re after. And you won’t get him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina snarled. “Don’t play games with me, girl. I am older and more ancient than you can believe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I believe you. I’m still not going to tell you what you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina lunged at the blonde, but the brunette grabbed her arm and knocked her to the ground in a single motion, her knee on Lavina’s back to hold her down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is she talking about?” asked one of the other women.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde ignored her. Instead, she knelt down and looked into Lavina’s emerald eyes. The blonde's eyes were the color of amber. The color suited her. A small, silver chain emerged from under her dress. It swung like a pendulum, the charm in the shape of an anvil with a sword sticking out of it. “You won’t find the star,” she said. “I’ll make sure of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina grinned. “Oh, you’ve given me more than you can possibly know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riza,” the brunette hissed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde—Riza—looked up at the brunette. They had a conversation in the span of a few moments, exchanging silent words to each other. The brunette lifted off of Lavina. Riza rose from her crouched position. Lavina didn’t bother trying to listen in on their whispered conversation, she would find out soon enough what they were tittering about. She did sit up and situate her skirts around her, smoothing out the wrinkles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The itching started up again, but this time on her ankle. Lavina grimaced and her fingers twitched. It was almost like her skin was on fire, but she knew if she scratched too much she would start bleeding and she would waste what precious little life she had to heal the wounds. So she closed her eyes and waited. The itching sensation grew worse, but the hair at the nape of her neck stood up. Tingles. Like cool air with a sharp spice to it. The star had been here for sure. She could almost taste the power. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened her eyes. The women were still huddled in a circle, talking. That was it. “Look,” she snapped, “just tell me where the star went and I’ll be on my way. None of you are of any consequence to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut it, you hag,” said the teenage girl as she glared at Lavina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina’s blood boiled and she rose to her feet, her emerald eyes lit with fury. She started chanting in a low, melodic voice. Lavina lifted her finger, still chanting, and drew a sigil in the air. The girl cried out and doubled over, green fire in the shape of the sigil flaring to life on her chest. The women cried out, they tried to stop Lavina from casting her spell, but it was too late. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a final word, Lavina lowered her finger and the green fire engulfed the girl from head to toe. She screamed, but fell silent as the fire consumed her, then faded. In her place was an old woman. Her teeth fell out of her mouth, her skin sagged, and her hair had thinned and faded to the color of snow. She was little more than skin and bones at the point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina grinned, smug. “Now, who is going to tell me what I want to know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riza spun on Lavina. She was almost prettier now. “You swore on your sisterhood that we wouldn’t come to harm,” she said, the fury etched in her body language.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did? Well, I didn’t seal that promise with a proper seal, so it doesn’t really count.” She took three steps forward. “You know about the star. Tell me everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riza didn’t say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina shrugged, then circled around the women. “Unless you want the same thing to happen to you, I suggest you tell me. Where did the star go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A short woman with straight jet-black hair and spectacles stepped forward. “North,” she said, her thick accent making it hard to understand. “They went north.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina stood over the woman. “What do you mean, ‘they?’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced back at the circle of women, a blush rising to her cheeks. “I was cursed once, okay? I don’t want to go through that again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hana,” said the brunette, but Lavina held up her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Continue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hana took a deep breath, still looking at her feet. “They came here together, him and the girl.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riza grabbed Hana’s shoulder. “Not another word,” she growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I only need to know the direction, Hana,” Lavina said, layering her voice with sugar and magic. Just enough to influence her, but without depleting what little of her magic remained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“North.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Hana. I will remember this.” She reached out and lifted Riza’s anvil chain onto her finger. Riza stiffened. “Camelot. I’ve heard the autumn is breathtaking there. How is the royal family doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Riza could say or do anything, Lavina was gone. She held her skirts well above her knees so she could easily pick her way through the thick bushes and back to her chariot. She had been actively avoiding looking at her hand. She could feel the liver spots crawling across her skin (they were under her, like poison, like bugs, like eggs that were hatching and wanted out, out, </span>
  <em>
    <span>out</span>
  </em>
  <span>--), but she couldn’t dwell on that now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She made it to her chariot and took an emerald ring out of her belt pouch. She rubbed it three times, and hazy, mirror-images of her sisters came into view in the reflection of the emerald. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look who it is,” Moira said, smug. “You’ve only been gone a week, and already you come crying to us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’ve been using magic,” Isador said. “I can see the age on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I know, but it was a small curse. Nothing major.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful, even using the ring will drain your powers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that,” snapped Lavina. “But the star is eluding me. Leading me on a wild goose chase. I came here to the Attleval Forest, only to find out that it moved north.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira raised her eyebrows at Isador. “Reading?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador nodded. “Reading.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her two sisters flickered out of sight for several moments. They came back into focus, with Moira pushing a table behind her and Isador carrying a squirming wolf cub over her shoulder. They slit it open and started reading the entrails. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The star is going north,” said Moira, pulling out the wolf cub’s intestines as she read the folds. “It’s still traveling with someone, but it’s weakened. Something happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did feel a lot of tingles in this area,” said Lavina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira blinked, her eyebrows furrowed. “Tingles?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador held up her hand before anything else could be said. “Be careful, sister. You’re not the only one hunting the star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Lavina exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador pulled out a rib and counted seven notches in the bone. “A prince.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Although he’s not actually the one searching for the star,” Moira said, pulling out the heart. “He’s sending someone else. Someone dangerous. I would take care, sister. That star is ours, remember.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember,” said Lavina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador pulled out the cub’s liver. “You will need to set a trap. The star is weak. It and its companion will need to stop and rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can get to the crossroads in three days, if you ride hard,” said Moira, poking at the liver. “The star has a head start, but is traveling slow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is this crossroads?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unclear,” Isador and Moira said at the same time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try your runestones,” said Isador. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a million crossroads between here and the one I’m supposed to be at! The runestones need me to be specific!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So follow the star. Trust me, sister, you’ll know it when you find it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s helpful,” Lavina grumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hurry,” said Moira. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>must</span>
  </em>
  <span> get there before the star does, to lay your trap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina nodded, her eyes scanning the foliage around her. There. Just in the distance, a familiar-looking bush. “You said the star was weak? It’s heart isn’t glowing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Moira grinned. “You have a plan, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remind me the properties of the moonberry bush roots again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The entire moonberry bush is toxic, except for the berries themselves, which are put into alcoholic beverages as an added recreational drug use,” said Isador. “The roots, when prepared properly, are safe to ingest. However, depending on how long they’re stewed for and the temperature of the drink they can induce hallucinations and can even make you fall into a coma.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And if I mix magic in with that…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The star’s heart should be aglow,” Moira said with a grin. “If you can’t make happiness, store-bought is fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, my sisters,” said Lavina. “The next time you see me, I shall have the star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She cut off the connection and climbed back into her goat-pulled chariot. The star was north, so north she would go.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Winry meets someone from Edward's past right as the present catches up to them.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Winry stood in a field of night, her feet hanging in the air with her skirts swirling around her, free from the force tying her down. She looked around, her hair floating in the same way as her skirts, as stars blinked into existence. Something familiar caught her eye, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. She floated over to it (direction and orientation didn’t matter, not in this place), more and more stars twinkling around her the lower she went. Or was it higher? There was to way to orient herself, save for the stars emerging all around her . </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A figure turned around, and Winry’s heart jumped to her throat. He looked just like Edward, but the more she studied his features, the more differences she saw. His hair was much shorter and tamer for one, his face was just a little softer, and he was slightly taller than Edward. He smiled at her when she stopped, hovering in front of him. Unlike her, his feet were solidly planted on something that she couldn’t see. “Hello,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked around, almost spinning through the air. “What is this place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could call it the sky, but it extends higher and further than the sky. You could call it another world, but this one surrounds yours so that doesn’t fit either. To me, this is home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s eyes widened, realization hitting her. “You’re a star?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed, a bright clear sound that sent starlight running through Winry’s entire body, like a warm hug from an old friend. “Yes, I’m a star. You can call me Al.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you look like…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, a deep sadness settled over Al. “Yes. We do look alike, don’t we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why am I here? The last thing I remember was falling asleep, but this can’t be a dream. It feels too real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, this is a dream. This is pretty much the only way for us stars to talk to those in Faerie, but it’s really disorienting so we don’t do it that often.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, then. Why did you want to talk to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because you’re the only one that can help.” Winry furrowed her brow, which only made Al grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, but… What do you need help with? And why me? And… I’m still confused as to what exactly is going on. I’m just confused.” She looked down at the eternal expanse of stars below her. “Wait. Is your name Alphonse by any chance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That means… after Edward’s fever broke… He saw you, didn’t he? But you said that… Is Edward a </span>
  <em>
    <span>star</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al nodded solemnly. “A fallen one. If word gets out that he’s outside of Camelot--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does Camelot have to do with anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are bad people in the world. If they find him they’ll kill him and use his abilities for themselves. Camelot has protected him for years, shielded his presence from people who want to hunt him down and kill him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And he’s no longer in Camelot,” Winry whispered. “He’s protecting me, making sure I return home when all of this blows over. I should have seen something, I should have known. He’s been acting weird these past few days and I figured it’s because he hasn’t fully recovered from his sickness and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I didn’t know. Oh, Nimue, I’m a terrible friend and people are trying to kill him and this is all my fault</span>
  </em>
  <span>--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al snapped his fingers in front of her nose. “Snap out of it, Winry. None of this is your fault. Ed didn’t tell anyone that he was a star to keep himself safe. That included you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them she looked straight into Al’s eyes. They were the same color as Edward’s. “What happened at the witch’s castle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glanced away. “That’s not really, um, any of my business? Nothing bad happened. Well, nothing too bad—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been five days. I can’t remember a thing that happened and it’s really starting to get on my nerves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al sighed. “Okay, fine. The short version: Ed overextended himself. First by freeing himself and then taking down the witch. He hadn’t used any of his magic in three years, so it kind of gave him a weird version of heatstroke, also known as overextending himself.” He shrugged, a lopsided grin on his face. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. This was a lot, it was almost too much to process. She could feel herself slipping, something pulling her back. “I don’t think…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al looked down by her feet, then back up at her. “Right. Yes. I’ve been watching over the two of you from here, so I have an idea of what’s going on. Listen carefully: nowhere on Faerie is safe for either of you. You need to stay alive to keep the magic of Camelot intact, and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> let people kill Ed. Do whatever it takes, Winry. Please.” He held out his hand. “May I see your mother’s necklace?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s hand flew to her neck where, seemingly out of nowhere, hung the necklace. Like everything else in this place, it floated, starlight dancing off of the smooth iron. Carefully, she pulled it over her head and dropped it into Al’s outstretched hand. He closed his eyes and his entire form began to shimmer, his edges becoming blurry and white with hints of blue. He opened his eyes and gave her back the necklace. “This will glow when danger is nearby, so keep it hidden. Oh, and Winry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put the necklace back on. “Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad Ed has you. You’re good for him, you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled and slipped a few inches down, something starting to pull on her. “He’s good for me too. But thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One more thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry slipped even more. “Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al’s face broke into a wide grin “Send him my love from me. Oh, and give him hell. He deserves it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry fell out of Al’s view. Stars raced past her but she wasn’t scared. She did close her eyes, and when she opened them she was back in Faerie, curled up in her bedroll with Edward looking at her. He cleared his throat and looked away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bad dream?” he asked, tucking his bangs behind his ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sat up, not taking her eyes off of Edward. Under the starlight he looked like an ethereal being, which she supposed he was. “No, but it was a little confusing. Good confusing, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward plucked some grass and started ripping it apart. “I almost woke you up. Your necklace started glowing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry felt her necklace. She normally kept it under her dress, but it was out and hanging freely from her neck. “I suppose it was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward cleared his throat. “Get back to sleep, princess. Dawn is hours out yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. Before she could think about what she was doing, she scooted over next to Edward and hugged him. He immediately stiffened, but relaxed a few moments later. “What’s this for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No reason,” Winry mumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Well, could you, um, stop?” Winry pulled away. Edward’s face was a bright shade of pink. “Not that it wasn’t a good hug, I haven’t had a hug for a really, really long time, but it was a little distracting and…” He cleared his throat. “I need to keep watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Winry said softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time since she had woken up, he looked directly at her. “Sleep well, princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded. “Um. Don’t… die.” She winced. “Sorry, that wasn’t very… yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled softly. “I appreciate the sentiment. And, I dunno, if you have bad dreams, or even confusing ones, I know a thing or two that might help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take you up on that. Good night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry settled herself down on her bedroll and turned away from Edward, but she couldn’t fall asleep. Thoughts raced through her mind, but she stayed still and kept her breathing deep and even so Edward would think she was asleep. Maybe. Did stars know when people slept? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Knowing that Edward was a star at least told her why he couldn’t sleep at night. That’s when the night sky was filled with stars, although she did wonder if that made him lonely. He did say he hadn’t had a hug in a long time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he was used to it, the loneliness. Did he miss his home? She did. All the time. Not a day went by where she didn’t miss her parents and Camelot. Sometimes she missed it so much it hurt, like a dull ache in her chest that was somehow empty. Did he feel the same?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe the two of them were just lonely people who had found some form of comfort in the other person. At times, Winry felt like the youngest person in Camelot, and it didn’t help that she had been training to be queen her entire life, which left little time for hanging out with people her own age. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward couldn’t be much older than her. Did stars age differently? The more Winry thought about it, the more she realized how little she knew about stars. Until her dream with Al, she hadn’t even known stars could be people. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry dozed a little, but her sleep was light and spotty. However, just like clockwork, she woke up once the sun was above the horizon. The trees were thick around them so she couldn’t see the full sunrise, but the sky was light. She sat up, Edward’s sleeping form on his bedroll, his back turned to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The morning passed as they usually did, and around noon her and Edward were on the road again. Edward was yawning and he looked groggier than normal. After a while of seeing him slip in and out of dozing, she pulled Rockbell’s rains to a stop. Edward stopped too. “Is everything okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should stop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gestured to him. “I can see you dozing off. It’s only been three days since your fever broke, and I don’t think you gave yourself enough time to recover.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He flicked Alexander forward. “I want to get further down the road before we rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry didn’t move Rockbell forward. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward turned Alexander around and stopped the white horse so he could talk to Winry face-to-face. “What do you mean? You said we’re getting close to a mountain range, and I’d like to get to some of the foothills before dark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sighed. “You’re overextending yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? Because I can see that you’re still kind of affected from when you were sick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, honestly. The only reason I got sick was—never mind. It’s not that big of a deal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that big of a deal? You were out for two days and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>have dark bags under your eyes.” Winry wanted to reach out to him, to put her hand on his shoulder or something, but it didn’t feel right. “What happened back there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. You don’t get to change the subject. It’s been five days, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> has been avoiding the subject around me. Riza wouldn’t say anything, Amilyn wouldn't say anything… You won’t say anything. It’s pissing me off and I want to know what happened. No, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need </span>
  </em>
  <span>to know what happened. We’re traveling together, I don’t get to be left in the dark. Trust me, Edward. Like I trust you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a low blow,” he muttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It worked, didn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His golden eyes searched her face. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want me to say? That you were turned into a goose and the witch nearly killed you?” His cheeks immediately reddened and he abruptly turned his head away from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s what happened.” He turned Alexander around and continued on the road. Muttering under her breath, Winry caught up to him and blocked the way with Rockbell. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t say anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess, what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you trust me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinked. “What kind of… Of course I trust you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I trust you, princess. Now can we please get going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you put your life in my hands like I’ve put mine in yours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Answer the damn question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward didn’t say anything for a while. But he didn’t look away from her either. He opened his mouth a few times, but then promptly closed it each time. He clenched his jaw. Alexander shifted his weight. Rockbell blew out a puff of air. Winry didn’t take her eyes off of Edward for a second. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it came down to it,” he said slowly. “Yes. But the main priority is you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what I asked,” Winry said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward clenched his jaw. “Princess, I honestly don’t know what you want me to say. Do I trust you? Yes. Should I have said something about the witch’s castle sooner? Also yes.” He swallowed. “But I’ve had… problems in the past with people. And I… I don’t get close to others. People. I don’t get close to people. That’s how I’ve survived.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand,” said Winry, thinking back to what Al had said about bad people wanting to kill Edward. “But we’re friends, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Edward said quickly. “We are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry pushed Rockbell forward so the horse stood next to Alexander, with her leg close to Edward’s. She reached out and cupped his face. He closed his eyes, his breath catching in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not the enemy,” she said softly. “It’s us against the world right now, and I need you to be open and honest with me. And I’ll do the same.” The pad of her thumb ran against his cheekbone. “Promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward slowly brought his hand up to hers and lowered it from his face, his touch lingering on her wrist. “Okay.” His voice broke a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry turned Rockbell around Alexander. “Come on, the day is still young yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought it was mid-afternoon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward flicked Alexander on. They rode on, the trees thinning out until they came to a large, open prairie. The grass waved in the wind, and Winry pulled out a leather cord to tie her hair back. Edward did the same. Large, fluffy clouds moved across the sky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No more trees,” Edward said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a bad thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means we’ll have to find homesteads to stop at.”</span>
</p><p><span>“Well, that won’t be a problem,” </span>Winry said with a grin. </p><p>
  <span>“Have I mentioned how glad I am that that’s what your magic does?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Once or twice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The clouds started to darken. Not by much, but Winry could smell a storm brewing. A big one. Edward glared up at the sky. “We won’t make it to nightfall before the storm hits us,” he said. “Is there anywhere we could stop at?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry turned inside herself. She trusted her magic more, somehow, even though it had led them to the witch’s castle where she had apparently turned into a goose. Suddenly, something pinged in the middle of her chest, pointing east. “There’s an inn about four and a half miles that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Think we can make it before the storm hits?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked over at Edward, at his furrowed eyebrows and open eyes. He was worried. “If we go fast.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wind picked up. The sky itself was still light, but the clouds were starting to gather into darker clumps. “Let’s go,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded, and set Rockbell off into a canter, Edward following close behind her, almost perfectly in stride with her. The wind picked up and the air cooled down significantly. The storm clouds gathered together even more quickly, the sky becoming darker and darker. Thunder rumbled in the far distance, making Winry’s heart shudder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wind whipped her hair around her, some strands getting stuck in her eyelashes. She wiped them out of her face. The thunder rumbled closer; it was still a fair distance out, but it was closer than she would like. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There,” said Edward, “I think I see it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was little more than a speck, but it was the only building for miles around. “You’re right,” said Winry just as a fat raindrop fell on her nose. Before too long, rain fell all around them and they were soaked completely through. The sky turned a dark grey-green and the temperature dropped significantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess we didn’t beat the storm,” Edward said, trying to carry his voice over the wind and rain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we beat the thunder,” Winry said just as thunder rumbled above them. “Never mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They reached the inn, Edward and Winry sliding off of their horses. Edward knocked on the wooden door. Winry blinked water out of her eyes, looking at the large building. It was definitely well-off, being the only inn at the four-way crossroads. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shifted his weight and looked over at Winry. His hair was completely plastered to his head, and she supposed she looked the same. The door opened, and a middle-aged woman with piercing emerald eyes and a thick auburn braid appeared. She gasped when she saw Edward and Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you poor things!” she said in a soft voice, like a light summer rain. “Come in, out of the cold. I’ll have the maid take care of your horses.” She let out a loud screech. A girl hopped up onto the barstool from behind the counter, then hopped down and trotted over to them. “Take the horses to the stable,” said the woman. “And make it timely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl looked between Edward and Winry before going outside into the rain. Thunder boomed ahead, shaking the inn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to the Goat’s Chariot,” said the woman. “My name is Jolene and I’m the innkeeper here. What can I do for you?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Outside, the storm rages on; but inside the inn is far more dangerous--and unexpected--than the storm could ever be. A trap is sprung, but Winry and Edward aren't the only ones caught in it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Winry and Edward exchanged a look. The inn was large and warm with a comforting fire crackling in the fireplace and various chairs and tables spread out evenly over the worn wood floor. “Warm beds would be nice,” said Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene’s shockingly emerald eyes crinkled as she smiled at the pair of them. “I can do better than that! How about a hot bath for the two of you, each. Unless you would rather…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Edward said sharply, his cheeks turning pink. “We’re… cousins.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled. “Our moms are sisters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene smiled, reminding Winry of the springs in Camelot. Jolene was indeed an incredibly attractive woman who knew how to carry her age with dignity and grace. “Of course. Would you like one room, or two?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One should be fine,” said Winry. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s no problem at all! Come, come, warm yourselves by the fire.” Jolene herded them next to the crackling fire, by which two large armchairs sat. Her nails dug into Winry’s shoulder. She practically pushed Winry and Edward into the chairs. “If there’s anything I can do for either of you, don’t hesitate to ask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward lifted his finger. “How much—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene waved her hand around. “No, no. Everything is on the house. After all, I’m glad to help such darling </span>
  <em>
    <span>cousins </span>
  </em>
  <span>as yourselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” said Winry, her toes curling in her shoes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene smiled at them. “Anything to make you two happy.” She patted Edward on the shoulder before leaving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry turned to Edward, the heat from the fire getting rid of some of the dampness on her. “She seems nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward narrowed his eyes. “She sure seems that way,” he said, “but I don’t like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t like anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is not true,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Name one person we’ve met that you’ve liked,” she said with a smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward opened his mouth, then closed it again. “I’m sure I would have liked the little girl if I had been awake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nina?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyone else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward glared at her. “This isn't fair. I was out cold when you met most of the people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shrugged. “Still.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene came back holding two steaming mugs on a platter. “Tea?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, thank you.”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward held up his hand. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene put the two mugs down next to them. “Well, they’re here if you want some.” She turned to Winry. “Do you have a change of dry clothes, my dear? I can see you shivering from here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They were on the horses,” said Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene’s green eyes reflected the firelight as it cast long shadows across her face. She tapped her chin with a long-nailed finger. “I think I have just the thing for you. Why don’t I draw baths for the both of you, to warm you up while I bring a change of clothes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward bristled, clearly annoyed. If Wiry was being honest, so was she. “I’ll take the bath,” she said, if only to get Jolene to stop bugging them about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene’s face lit up and she clapped her hands together. “Oh, how wonderful! Do you want warm, hot, or boil-a-lobster?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A heavy knock came from the door. Jolene’s eyes flicked to the door, her expression sour. It came again as lightning flashed outside, followed by low, rumbling thunder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me,” said Jolene. “Other guests.” She left as soon as she had come.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward leaned over his armchair to speak to Winry. “What was that about?” he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was starting to bug you,” Winry responded in the same low voice. “At least when she’s preparing the bath you could get some quiet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, princess. Something here feels off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re caught in a storm, so it’s not like we can go anywhere.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” grumbled Edward. “Just… be careful, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “I will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heavy footsteps from behind startled Winry. A large, broad-shouldered man moved lightly around the armchairs and stood in front of the fire, barely giving them a glance. His cloak covered his entire figure, the black hood pulled low over his face. Droplets of water fell from the edges of the cloak, hitting against the wooden floor. He put his hands out, the flickering shadows from the fire stark against his sharp knuckles and dark skin.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry and Edward sat in silence. The fire crackled and popped, sending embers into the air. Winry stayed leaning towards Edward, but neither of them made any moves to talk. The man shifted his weight, standing so he didn’t block the heat from the flames. Edward glowered at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene appeared, a little more sour than before. “I have that bath ready, my dear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stood up and gave a small smile to Edward. His expression was nearly unreadable, but the downturn of his eyebrows and deeper frown told her to be careful</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like some tea, sir?” Jolene asked the hooded man. Now that Winry stood close to him, she realized just how tall and broad-shouldered he was. Almost unconsciously, she shied away from him and stood closer to Edward. Edward stood and took a step forward so he was only a half step behind Winry, his glare switching between the man and Jolene. His hand hovered behind her elbow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” the man said in a deep, rasping voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene’s eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips. She turned to Winry, her face now cheerful, her posture lively. “Come along my dear, your bath is upstairs. Please, drink your tea,” she said to Edward. She put her arm around Winry, pushing herself in front of Edward to do so. Again, her nails dug into her shoulder, but this time they reminded Winry of talons. Maybe claws.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She missed the warmth of the fire and Edward’s constant presence as soon as Jolene led her out of the main room. She turned her head to look back down the stairs; Edward still glared at the man, and he was easily dwarfed by the man’s large stature. His eyes flicked up to Winry, his eyebrows scrunched together. He gave her a slight nod. Jolene’s grip tightened. Underneath her dress, Winry’s necklace grew cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene led her up the stairs and across a catwalk to a large, empty room with two beds on opposite sides of the room and pressed against the walls. A fire was lit as well, and in the corner sat an unfolded wooden screen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know how hot you wanted it, so I made it extra hot. It’s easier to cool down water than it is to heat it up, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still gripping her shoulder, Jolene patted Winry’s other shoulder. “I’ll be up in a few minutes with your tea,” she said, her breath humid against Winry’s ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shuddered. “No, that’s not—“ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene was gone, the door already closed behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does she keep doing that?” Winry muttered, chills racing through her body. While it would be nice to relax after weeks of travel--she wished Edward was just a little closer--she couldn’t let her guard down. Edward had noticed something off about the place, and Winry didn’t like it. Neither did the necklace, as it sent tingles like little pinpricks of water from a winter spring all over skin. Rain fell in sheets against the windows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed the wooden screen against the wall and stuck her hand into the water. She yelped and flung the hot water off of her fingers. When Jolene had said “boil-a-lobster,” she meant it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced over at the door through a crack in the screen. There was a lock on it, and she didn’t want anyone barging in. Her necklace still tingled and she wanted to inspect it in privacy. She didn’t want Jolene seeing it, and she didn’t want to tell Edward about her dream with Al. Not yet. She didn’t know how he would react to her knowing that he was a star without him telling her first. She could see how that could be an issue, especially after nearly yelling at him earlier in the day about trust and communication, but she wanted him to tell her on his own terms. She slipped past the screen and locked the door with a solid click.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind the screen, Winry tested the water again, but it was still extremely hot. Winry looked around the room, her eyes catching at the lock on the door. She didn’t trust Jolene, and she certainly didn’t trust Jolene without Edward around (she didn’t trust Jolene </span>
  <em>
    <span>with</span>
  </em>
  <span> Edward either, but he was more capable than she was when it came to defending himself). But Jolene thought she was taking a bath, and Winry wanted to inspect the necklace in peace. So she only took off her outer layers and hung them on the wooden screen but she didn’t step into the water. She sat down near the fire, next to the screen, in her chemise with her knees tucked to her chest and her still-damp hair down on either side of her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry lifted the necklace over her head, holding the emblem in the palm of her hand with the chain swinging between her fingers. It still looked the same, the stamped image of mistletoe in the middle of the iron. Except now it had a faint blue-white tint to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was it Al had said? </span>
  <em>
    <span>This will glow when danger is nearby. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She hadn’t gotten the tingling sensation until the man had walked into the inn, but there were also Edward’s instincts about the inn, which he had articulated before the man showed up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chills ran down Winry’s spine as she remembered Jolene’s claw-like grip on her shoulder. Outside, lightning flashed with no thunder to precede it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door creaked open, and Winry curled into an even smaller ball, pressing up against the wall. The footsteps that entered the room weren’t Edward’s.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Knock knock,” Jolene said, knocking on the screen. “I brought you your tea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shut her eyes, her stomach twisting itself into knots. She wanted to throw up.  “You can leave it by my things,” she said. The necklace started to glow a brighter blue, and Winry shoved it into the folds of her chemise, hoping that it would be enough to stifle the blue-white glow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll get cold, and this tea tastes better hot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll keep that in mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you need anything else? I have towels for you, I brought you a spare dress, I can bring you something to eat—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry schooled her voice to keep it from shaking, something she had perfected over the years of being a princess. “I’m fine. But thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me at least give the towels to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry only had a split second to turn herself over before Jolene moved the screen aside opposite from where Winry sat, one hand covering her eyes. “I’m not looking, I swear.” She put two white, fluffy towels on the floor close to the bathtub. Winry covered her mouth, her heart racing. The glow of the necklace broke through the white linen of her chemise and Winry clamped her other hand over it. Her hand lip up, the light filtering through the skin and muscles, but Jolene kept her eyes covered. When Jolene left, closing the screen and door to the room behind her, Winry let out a sigh of relief. Outside, thunder rumbled and rain fell in sheets against the windows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood up, blood pounding in her ears. She stepped out from behind the screen. Laying on the bed was a red dress and right next to it was a steaming cup of tea. Winry dumped the tea into the bathtub and changed into the dry dress. It was a peculiar fit, with a high-waisted bodice, long and heavy skirts and sleeves that were just a bit too tight. She dried her hair off, still wet from the rain, and sat down next to the fire, combing her fingers through her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A soft knock came from the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She froze, her fingers tangled in her hair. “Who is it?” Winry called out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s me,” said Edward, his voice muffled by the door. “May I come in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, Winry’s racing heart calmed some. “Go ahead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward slipped into the room, closing the door behind him. He stopped when he saw her. “That’s not your dress, is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jolene left it out for me,” said Winry, still combing through her hair. Her fingers caught on a knot, so she put her full attention on trying to undo it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It, uh, suits you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing.” He sat down next to her and undid his scarlet cloak, laying it out in front of the fire to let it dry. Water droplets dotted the wool.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you wax that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat there in silence for a long time. Winry finished combing through her hair, and then decided to braid it. The fire popped, and when Winry was done, Edward lay his head on her shoulder. Even with the fire casting light across his features, there was a brightness to him that she couldn’t quite explain. Yes, he was a star and she was used to how the starlight danced across him, but this was different somehow. He felt… softer, somehow. Warmer, like a sunset after a long summer’s day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” Winry put her hand on the wooden floor, making herself sturdier. The fingers on her other hand brushed against the hem of his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” he mumbled. “I constantly feel like I’m about to throw up, but there’s nothing here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. Her necklace still tingled, even though it had grown softer. “I know the feeling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the dude kept giving me weird looks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What kind of weird looks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no idea. Like, glares. He kept glaring at me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like you?” Winry said teasingly. Thunder boomed, the loudest one yet. Winry jumped, knocking her shoulder into Edward’s ear. “Sorry,” she said. “That one just scared me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward took hold of Winry’s hands. His fingers and palms were covered in calluses and they were rough from work. They were the most wonderful thing Winry had ever held. “This whole place gives me the creeps,” he said, his thumb running over her knuckles. “The storm outside doesn’t help matters, either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened. Winry and Edward jumped apart just as Jolene entered. The tingling came back in full force, and Winry put her hand over her heart to block any possible light. So it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>Jolene. She was the danger. Winry glanced over at Edward. His glow was gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s because he’s a star</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He must glow under certain circumstances. Like when he’s happy, or content.</span>
  </em>
  <span> How often had he glowed during their travels? She couldn’t remember. Or she hadn’t been paying attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene grinned, and Winry could see her sharp, perfectly white teeth. “I trust you two are doing well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, thank you,” said Winry, using her princess voice. “I think we’ll head to bed now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does the dress fit? It was mine when I was about your age.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It fits fine, thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you come down for some stew? The other gentleman wants to talk to such fascinating guests as yourselves. Cousins, traveling together. Who knew!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the offer,” Edward said, his sharp words cutting across the room. “But we are going to bed.” He grabbed his scarlet cloak off of the floor and put it around his shoulders. “Now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward,” Winry hissed. He shook his head subtly. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Edward.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene’s smile turned into a snarl. She took a step forward. “You should know better than to bring the magic of a star into my presence, girl. I could smell it on you from a mile away.” She aggressively scratched her hand. “No matter. This way, I’ll have two hearts for the price of one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward stepped in front of Winry and held his arm out to shield her. “Who are you, and what do you want,” he said, his voice dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The necklace burned with cold energy, making Winry cry out and pull it out from under her bodice. It glowed bright and blue. Edward looked behind him and his eyes widened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thunder rumbled outside as Jolene lifted her skirt above her knees and pulled an obsidian knife out of a strap on her thigh. Winry shoved Edward out of the way as the woman thrust the knife down. The necklace glowed even brighter, engulfing Winry and Edward. The knife shattered a few inches from Winry’s chest just as lightning flashed across the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene screamed with rage. Edward grabbed Winry’s hand and yanked her after him. Jolene clawed at Winry’s skirts, catching them in her fist. Winry let go of Edward’s hand and grabbed her skirt with both hands. She pulled as hard as she could, falling backwards into Edward from the force. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” he said, grabbing one of her hands. She held her skirts in her other hand and ran out of the room after them. Thunder crashed outside. A bolt of crackling, dark energy flew past Winry. She cried out, ducking low to the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> is going on with your necklace?” Edward cried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll explain later,” Winry said, “but for now we need to get you out of here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ran along the catwalk and barreled into the man from before. His hood was gone, revealing red eyes and an X-shaped scar over his forehead and nose. “The sapphire,” he said in his low, gravelly voice. “Where is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry tossed a glance behind her as another bolt of energy careened into the wooden railing next to her. It exploded, sending splinters flying everywhere. Edward spun her around and took the brunt of the wood shards, grunting. Winry grasped onto his forearm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me the sapphire.” The man’s eyes were dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind them, Jolene let out an ear-splitting screech at the same moment lightning flashed and thunder rumbled throughout the inn. “What in the nine hells…?” the man asked, clearly disturbed at the sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene appeared, leaning against the doorframe, half of her face covered in welts. Her once-auburn hair was a dark grey. Words ripped out of her throat: “</span>
  <em>
    <span>GIVE ME THE STAR!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The necklace pulsed with light. Edward stared at it, then up at the man. “Move,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene lumbered towards them, faster than seemed possible. She held out her hand, and a ball of dark energy crackled to life in her fist. Her skin sagged even more and one eye rolled back into her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward pulled Winry into the wall with him and covered the back of her neck with his hand. It slammed into Winry’s back. The necklace glowed with blinding, cooling light against the white-hot pain of the blast, but it wasn’t enough. The dark energy snuffed it out as it coursed through her and into Edward. She cried out and he grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not this again,” Edward grumbled as spasms tore through his muscles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The darkness fizzled out. The light from the necklace flickered to life, far weaker than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red-eyed man stepped forward towards Jolene. “Witch,” he growled. He brought his right hand up, his knuckles cracking painfully loud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward ducked under the man’s arm, still holding Winry’s hand, and ran down the stairs with her in tow. Winry nearly tripped over her feet and long skirts several times on the way down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their way was blocked by the girl who had taken their horses to the stables. She crouched low to the ground, her foot pawing at the wooden floor. She rushed at them, her head low. She rammed into Edward and Winry’s linked hands, breaking them apart and pushing them away from each other. Winry’s forearm ached, the pain swelling in her arm. The girl collapsed to the ground, moaning and clutching her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thunder rumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Winry and Edward locked eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red-eyed man roared. Red lighting ran across the inn, skittering across the wood and stone, centered on both the man and Jolene. The floor shook and cracked, the roof shattered into a million tiny pieces, the walls splintered and burst apart, the catwalk collapsed into a pile of dark wood. The fire in the stone fireplace hissed, smoke erupting everywhere as the rain and winds tore through the now-destroyed inn. Winry reached out for Edward and pulled him closer to her, holding his hand tight in hers. The necklace’s light was steadier now, but the light still wasn’t as bright as it had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A white, shrunken hand erupted from the pile of splintered wood. Rain fell on them in sheets and lightning shot across the sky. A portion of the roof snapped in half, crashing to the ground just as thunder rang through the sky. Jolene crawled out of the rubble, her face contorted with frenzied rage. Winry reached for her necklace, holding it in her fist. Cool energy washed over her like cold water running down a mountain stream after the snow melted. She breathed in, then out and squeezed Edward’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene took a single, staggered step towards them. “I’d prefer it if your heart was glowing, but a heart that isn’t glowing is better than no heart at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” said Winry, stepping back. She hit the back of a chair with her leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A large, dark hand grabbed hold of Jolene. The man’s sleeve was torn, revealing an intricate tattoo that encircled his right arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward cursed under his breath. “I wish I had my sword.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A sword won’t help you, but it could help me,” Jolene said with a grin. “Make it less bloody.” With her other hand she ran her long fingernails down the man’s tattooed arm, digging into his skin. She pulled him out of the pile of wood, clutching at the back of his neck. Blood dripped down his right arm, mixing in with the faint red lightning that still danced along the inn and rain cascading down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lightning flashed, followed by a low rumble of thunder. Winry blinked the rain out of her eyes. She was completely soaked. Again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward pulled at her from the side. “Come on, if we get to the horses we might escape,” he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jolene laughed. Winry’s stomach sank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not making it out of here alive.” Jolene lifted her hand again and pointed at Winry. Edward yelled and pushed her away, but the dark energy beam still caught her right in the stomach. She fell to the ground, her hands scraping against the uneven wooden floor. Her muscles spasmed and she let out a blood-curdling cry. The rain mixed with her tears. Again, the cool magic of the necklace tried to stop it, but the darkness snuffed out the light. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the pain receded, she opened her eyes, her breathing uneven and the blood pounding in her head. Edward knelt down next to her and cradled her head in his hands, all the while glaring at Jolene. “I should kill you for that,” he snarled, the rain plastering his bangs to his forehead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t even try, boy,” said the man. Jolene still held onto him, digging her nails into his skin. He grimaced. “She’s a powerful one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen to the witch-hunter,” Jolene said with a snarl. “I am Lavina of the Elden Citadel, witch-queen of Nanmur, and I slew the first star that fell to Faerie. You have no hope of defeating me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward inhaled sharply, his eyes widening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina started chanting under her breath. The near-dead fire flared to life. It erupted from the fireplace and came to surround Edward and Winry in a blazing red inferno. Winry squinted her eyes against the heat and stepped closer to the center of the fire encircling them. Edward stood, staring at Lavina, his stance ready to fight with his hands curled into fists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina mumbled under her breath. An invisible force jerked Winry against the cracked floor, pulling her away from Edward. Her foot caught on a jagged piece of wood, sliding across her ankle. She gasped as hot blood dripped from the wood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She came to a stop mere hairs from where the fire burned. The fire spread out along what remained of the wooden inn, latching onto what wasn’t already soaked through with rainwater. Embers flew onto her skirt but didn’t catch. Black smoke hung in the air, choking Winry’s sight. Winry coughed and rose to her knees, shaking. She blinked the rain out of her eyes and brushed her bangs out of her face. Her heart raced. She had to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina stepped down the pile of broken wood, still holding onto the man, dragging him behind her. Blood dripped down his neck and he fought against her grip to no avail. Red lightning still sparked along his tattoo, but his arm hung limp from his shoulder. Blood dripped down his fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s necklace flickered, its blue-white starlight almost gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina bent over and picked up a fireplace poker. The end was coated in ash and soot, and her weak hand didn’t look strong enough to hold it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward knelt next to Winry. He started to help her to her feet before fire shot through the middle of the circle surrounding them, swallowing him completely. Winry yelled and reached through the flames for him, but he wasn’t there. She drew her hand back and held it close to her chest, blisters already starting to form on the burnt skin. The rain hit the singed wool of her sleeve, pounding on an already-sore spot. Though the flames, she saw Edward stumble back, smoke rising from him. He cursed and spun towards Lavina. “What do you want?” he yelled, his voice carrying over the storm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina stopped in front of Edward with only the flames separating them. The man in her grasp struggled and pulled against her, growling. She dug her nails in even more, and he grunted, his eyes rolling back for a split second. More blood dripped down his arm. The orange-yellow trails of fire illuminated the demolished inn around them: the destroyed walls, the nonexistent roof, the shattered floor. The heat from the flames evaporated the water off of Winry, the rain sizzling as it hit the fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thunder rolled. Lavina lunged at Edward. He ducked out of the way, his back to the flames separating him from Winry. She stood up and reached through the fire, ignoring the flames licking at her arm. She grabbed the back of Edward’s cloak, pulling him through to her side. He immediately turned around and hit the flames off of her arm, apologizing under his breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina dropped the man, face-down onto the floor and stepped through the fire, snarling. She was completely unharmed by the fire licking at her. Edward grabbed Winry’s hand. They backed up, the flames against her back. Smoke curled around her as the flames licked hungrily at her. From across the fire, Lavina glared at them, a crooked smile forming on her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward squeezed her hand. “Make a wish.” He kept his eyes locked on Lavina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t do anything until you make a wish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina walked through the fire, still unharmed. She thrust the fireplace poker forward, catching Winry in the shoulder. Still holding Winry behind him, Edward kicked Lavina in the stomach. She grabbed onto his foot. Winry reached around Edward and tried to grab the fireplace poker, but Lavina threw it out of reach. It arced over the fire and landed in a heap of soaking wood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do it with my bare hands if I have to,” the witch snarled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward yanked his leg out of Lavina’s grasp and let go of Winry’s hand, spinning around to face her. “Princess. Wish. Now.” His hands were on her shoulders, now, squeezing them almost uncomfortably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina slashed at him with her nails. He ducked out of the way, bringing his elbow up and slamming it into her face. A sickening </span>
  <em>
    <span>crack</span>
  </em>
  <span> echoed just as lightning shot across the sky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blood poured down from Lavina’s eye and temple, mixing in with the rain. Her lip bled openly, and part of her cheek was dented. She screamed, opening her split lip more. She cut up at Edward, catching his arm. His sleeve ripped open, blood staining it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward moved to hit Lavina again, but she grabbed his arm and dug her fingernails into it. He cried out and shut his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry pulled Edward away from Lavina, and in the same movement kicked her in the knee. The witch fell to the ground. Winry cupped Edward’s face with her hands. “I wish to go somewhere safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” breathed Edward. Thunder rumbled, a little softer than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina moved to stand up, but her knee popped audibly, making her collapse onto the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward wrapped Winry in a hug, blue lightning shooting from his fingers. Winry wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. The necklace started to tingle again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward’s magic was completely different from the dark blasts of energy Lavina had shot at them. It was akin to how the necklace felt, but a thousand times more powerful. Cool energy filled Winry from her toes to the top of her head, flowing freely between her and Edward. It reminded her of her necklace, but this was on an infinitely larger scale.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina rose to her feet and thrust herself into the torrent of blue lightning. Lightning cut across the sky just as Winry and Edward disappeared with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She fell to the ground where they had stood a second before. Lavina turned her face to the sky, rain beating down on her face. She grabbed her hair and pulled as l flashed across the night sky. Lavina filled the sky with her screams.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter Ten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hot on the trail of the Camelot princess and her guard, the Crimson Sorcerer follows a lead that, unfortunately, is a dead end. He still makes a day of it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There is a content warning for this chapter, because it is predominately Kimblee and Tucker. I promised that nothing bad happens to Nina, but her dad is a different story. If you're sensitive to either of those characters, killing, and blood, then read with caution (this is a T-rated fic, and I took extra care for it to remain that way). Take care of yourselves, and we'll be back with Edward and Winry before long.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Zolf slicked his hair back into a low ponytail, pulling out select strands of hair to frame his face just so. The carriage bounced, making him jump into the air. He sighed, settling into his seat again. The roads in Faerie were sorely in need of maintenance, but no one wanted to take responsibility. There were too many sovereign kingdoms, and the roads criss-crossed through the kingdoms without rhyme nor reason. Ever since leaving Amestris he had crossed through Khewimore, Edrimor, Ostineathor, Necamor, and Clom. It didn’t help that every so often he was stopped by bandits. Sometimes they acted in the name of their kingdom, but more often than not they were taking advantage of the dozens of wars going on to line their pockets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>None of the bandits had survived, of course.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He straightened his red neckerchief and tucked the edges into his white suit. If he was right about the distance traveled, and he was, he should be arriving at the village soon. It had a name, but he didn’t bother remembering it. All he knew was that it was at the eastern side of the Attleval Forest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His carriage jostled again and he threw his hands against the sides to steady himself. Logically, he knew it wasn’t the carriage driver’s fault. But shouldn’t the man be able to avoid potholes at the very least?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened the carriage window and poked his head out. The carriage bumped, but he held himself steady to avoid any possible head injuries. “How much longer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The driver turned his head, still keeping an eye on the road. “Not much longer,” he said, his heavy Western accent making it hard for Zolf to understand. “Few miles, at the most.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. Stop the carriage.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop the carriage.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The driver pulled at the reins and the carriage skidded to a halt. Zolf lurched forward, hitting his head on the window frame with a grunt of pain. He ducked back inside, put his hat on, opened the door, and stepped onto the path. It was damp from the rain the night before, but the mud was gone. Good. He didn’t want to bother cleaning his white suit just after getting it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll continue on foot from here. Wait for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sir?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pull the carriage off to the side so highway robbers don’t attack you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As you say so,” the man stuttered. “But won’t you—?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf turned to him. He lifted the brim of his hat just so. He loved hats. In this instance, it blocked out the sun. In another, it could shield his face from rain. He honestly didn’t understand why more people didn’t wear hats. “I’m the Crimson Sorcerer,” he said. “I think I can handle myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The driver gulped. “Yes. Of course, sir. Right away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf started down the road with his hands in his pockets, not looking back at the driver or the carriage. Dirt and rocks crunched under his feet and the sun beat down from above. He started to whistle a random tune without a meter or a real melody. It really </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>a nice day. A little humid, after the rain, but there were birds chirping, trees groaning, bugs whizzing around. There was even a fat bumblebee that flew by his face. He let it pass, following it with his eyes. It was even kind of cute. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kept whistling as he walked, hopping from dappled shadow to dappled shadow. He passed by plots of land that had little sprouts popping up from the ground. It was well into spring, and there were various people working in the fields. He didn’t acknowledge them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually he came to the main town. Quaint, one-room buildings with thatched roofs dotted the surrounding area. Little children ran after chickens and goats, and there was even a small fountain bubbling in the town square. The roads were all dirt. So the town was well enough off to have a fountain but not cobblestone. Zolf shrugged. It wasn’t of any consequence to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker, and other little shops that had probably been in the same family for generations. Zolf walked over to the fountain and hopped onto the rim. Nothing. What would a princess of an ancient kingdom be doing here of all places?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf walked around the fountain a few times before he stepped off and wandered over to one of the open-air shops. “Hello,” he said, putting on his most charming smile. “I’m new here. Has there been a girl around here recently? She’s about seventeen years old, has long blonde hair?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The middle-aged woman smiled back at him. “Is she your daughter?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf laughed. “No, nothing of the sort. She’s my niece. Her parents are worried sick about her and she’s a long way from home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman smiled. “Ah, let me guess. Controlling parents? Unwanted suitor?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, she just wanted to see the world. But she left before telling her parents, you see, and is traveling with a boy around her age. My sister and her husband are rightfully worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman </span>
  <em>
    <span>tsked</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “She should know better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re exactly right, which is why I want to bring her home. Her parents just want her to be safe.” Zolf poked at some of the trinkets she had on her stand. Most of them were intricate pieces of fabric that looked hand-woven. “These are impressive.” He held up a red one that was interspersed with blue, green, and yellow threads in a circular pattern. “Did you make these?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman beamed. “Yes I did. I need something to do to keep myself busy during the winter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How much for this one?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Three silver.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf fished out the money and handed it to her, plopping the coins into the palm of her hand. “I don’t believe I got your name.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Betsabe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf took Betsabe’s hand and shook it. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Betsabe. I hope our paths meet again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are more than welcome to come back anytime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He pocketed the small little tapestry and began to walk away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Weren’t you looking for your niece?” Betsabe called out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf made a show of spinning around and smacking his forehead. “Yes. I can’t believe I forgot. I’m a terrible brother, honestly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t say that, it’s an easy mistake to make.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf walked back to Betsabe’s stand. “Well, I was distracted by your beautiful fabric. It really is stunning.” He waved his hand around and shook his head. “I need to focus on my niece. Do you happen to know where she is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve seen a girl that looks like her playing with the little Tucker girl.” Zolf turned his head to the side, and Betsabe nodded knowingly. “A family in town, the father is the town doctor. She came back with Amilyn, which was a shock for everyone.” Betsabe leaned in closer to Zolf. “Everyone said she had run away, years ago, leaving her little girl behind with a man like him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘A man like him?’” Zolf echoed. “What kind of man is that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but there are rumors that he digs up dead bodies to experiment on,” she whispered. “He never leaves his house, sending little Nina out to run his errands. Callum Debbins got his donkey stolen, and the next day Shou </span>
  <em>
    <span>locked his barn</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no,” Zolf said, trying hard to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Betsabe nodded. “And ever since Amilyn came back, she’s barely been in the house. She plays with Nina, she goes around town, but she barely steps one foot in the cursed house.” She shook her head. “It’s so sad, what that family’s been through.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf nodded. “It is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think your niece would like one of these? Free of charge, of course.” Betsabe gestured to her wares.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. I couldn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re such a gentleman, how could I not? Besides, you seem to really care about your niece and sister.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s your livelihood, I couldn’t do that to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I insist!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All right, if you insist.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf picked a random one and barely gave it a second thought as he slipped it into his pocket. He doubted the princess would care about a swatch of cloth as he was killing her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even still, he put on a smile. “Thank you, I think she’ll love it. Where…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Betsabe pointed him to a house that lay on the edge of town that he passed on his way in. He thanked her and waved behind him before walking away. He put his hands back into his pockets and walked right up to the door. He knocked twice before stepping back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It creaked open and a little girl with twin braids down her back appeared. “Hello!” she said. “Are you here to visit Daddy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf crouched down to look directly into the green eyes of the little girl. “Are you Nina?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yuh-huh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know someone named Winry?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yuh-huh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you tell me where she is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nina shook her head. “Can’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She left…” The little girl started to count on her fingers. “Four sleeps ago.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know where she went?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nina looked down at her feet. “No.” She kicked against the dirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf could tell she was getting antsy. “Can you take me to your daddy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged. “Mommy said she was going to talk to Daddy and that I shouldn’t get involved.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf narrowed his eyes. That could mean anything. “Do you know when they’ll be done talking?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nina shrugged again. “Sometimes for hours, although Mommy usually stomps off after they’re done talking.” She kicked at the ground again. “I don’t think they’re friends. They don’t treat each other like how friends should treat each other. You should be nice and share and treat them with respect.” It sounded rote, the way she said it, like it had been drilled into her time and time again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf nodded. “How about I stay here until your daddy comes back?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay! We can go and play.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Zolf. “I don’t want to get my white clothes dirty.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s okay. I’ll just play with my dollies instead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nina pushed the door open. The house was a single room with a bed in the corner, a fireplace that was caked with ash and smoke, a table with stools in the center of the room, and a bucket of water in another corner. Zolf just stepped over the threshold when someone pushed past his shoulder and into the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, for the love of—Can you move? Like, yesterday?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf got out of the way of a very angry woman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mommy!” Nina yelled, her face lighting up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She kind of just let me in,” Zolf said. “I’m looking for your husband?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mother, Zolf assumed, sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yes. Of course. He’s out back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“His name is Shou, yes? And yours is Amilyn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf tipped his hat to her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amilyn Tucker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She snorted. “Not for long. Come on Nina, let’s go to Wendy’s house.” Amilyn picked Nina up and held the little girl on her hip. “Sorry for being so rude, it’s just…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf held up his hand. “I get it, no worries. I just need to talk to your husband.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Amilyn left without another word with Nina on her hip.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf took off his white jacket. He folded it and placed it on the table with his hat on top of it, his crimson neckerchief folded neatly underneath the hat. Still in his white trousers and undershirt, he stepped out of the house and softly closed the door behind him, making sure to leave it open a crack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He walked on the grass as he went behind the house. There was a field that went all the way up to a line of trees. In the field, a single man paced back and forth. He kept adjusting his spectacles and muttering to himself. Zolf stopped several yards away from him and waited to be noticed. Several minutes passed before the man turned towards him and stopped. Zolf didn’t move, his hands comfortably tucked into his pockets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man walked briskly to him, wiping his hands on the fronts of his trousers. “Can I help you?” he asked once he approached Zolf.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you Shou Tucker?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the one who sent the message about the Camelot princess?” He held up a rolled-up piece of paper with a once-tied string hanging loosely around it. Zolf unfurled the paper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou snapped to attention, his eyes darting between the paper and Zolf. “Yes, but she—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf started walking, purposefully bumping shoulders with Shou as he walked past. “Walk with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou scrambled to keep up. “Of course. Yes. I can… I can give you information about her, about the man she was traveling with—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I only have one question for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And that is…?” Shou’s voice got abnormally quiet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did you let her escape?” He stopped and plucked a blade of grass from the ground. He got close to the root, so the piece of grass started out white and then slowly turned green and pointed. Zolf started ripping it down to little strips and let those float down to the ground. “You said she was traveling with an invalid, that he would be sick for a while. You said you’d keep her in one spot.” He waved the little note around. “Right in here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He… The boy—man, I don’t know!—recovered faster than expected. When I woke up, they were gone and I—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf flung the rest of the grass to the ground. “How did you find out she was the princess of Camelot? Amestris’ spies didn’t even know that she had left the kingdom until you were kind enough to alert us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I heard her and my wife talking outside the door one day. And he… the sick person, sometimes talked in his sleep. I put two and two together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see.” Zolf bent over and plucked another piece of grass. He started ripping that one too. A butterfly flitted around. Shou swatted it out of the way. “So you’re not a complete idiot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t know they were going to leave. He should still be recovering, they’ll be slow and he only woke up at night so that’s less travel time. If you… if you hurry you should be able to catch up to them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me, Shou,” Zolf said, flicking the last piece of grass to the ground. “Why did you do it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou gaped like a fish. “I… I thought you were supposed to be looking for </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not… not questioning me…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have a wife and daughter. You could have kept the wars from them. Camelot would have found out eventually. Did you know that they have one of the best-trained militaries in Faerie? It’s small, mostly made up of their knights—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Knights of the Round Table. I’ve heard of them, yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf narrowed his eyes. “The knights that protect Camelot from outside threats. That means you. You told an enemy where their only heir was. One of the last living Pendragons. That’s a big deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou trembled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf stopped. “What do you want in exchange?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou Tucker let out a puff of air. “I thought that you were going to kill me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf didn’t blink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou took in a shuddering breath. “Protection. There are rumors—there are always rumors around Faerie, that’s nothing new—of a third party in the Stormhold succession war. Prince Bradley, the sixth prince of Amestris. I want him to give me protection.” He pointed at the note that Zolf held loosely in his hand. “That’s why I sent that to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf raised an eyebrow. “You?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou nodded. “Yes. The wars haven’t arrived here just yet, and I know that they’re coming, they’ll obviously make their way here, but I don’t want to get dragged into the war. I have a successful practice going here. I can make a name for myself, I can do the things that I’ve always dreamed of doing, and I can’t do those things if I’m roped into a war.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What kind of things?” Zolf put his hands back into his pockets. The butterfly came back and landed on Zolf’s shoulder for a split second before flitting away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou’s face lit up, and he stumbled over his words as he talked. “I want to understand the human body. I want to know how it works, how it’s made the way that it is. I’ve done experiments on animals, but while we do share similarities to various animal species, I haven’t been able to find a human and open them up to see how they work.” Shou’s eyes were alight with excitement, and now he trembled for a different reason.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I can help you with that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou’s face lit up, his spectacles glinting against the sunlight. “Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf nodded. “The average adult male has between one and one-and-a-half gallons of blood in his body. The adult heart pumps around fifteen hundred to two thousand gallons of blood in a day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A small smile creeped onto Shou’s face. “Really? And how did you learn that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Experience.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shou’s smile stayed, but his eyebrows shifted ever so slightly. “Really? What… </span>
  <em>
    <span>kind </span>
  </em>
  <span>of experience?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The corners of Zolf’s mouth twitched. “I’m the Crimson Sorcerer, Mr. Tucker. I don’t think I need to give you my credentials.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-oOo-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf made his way back to the house. He went over to the bucket of water in the corner and found a rag lying around. He wiped himself off as best as he could. He dipped the rag into the water, red clouds expanding out of the cloth, and squeezed the excess out. He finished by wiping off his face and drying it with the blankets on the bed. He hung the rag on a hook by the fireplace and dumped the water out, even taking the time to fold the blanket up. He shrugged his white jacket back on and placed his hat firmly on his head before he tied his neckerchief securely around his neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t gotten a single speck of blood on his white trousers. An impressive feat, even for him. His undershirt was filthy, but he had his jacket and neckerchief to hide the stains. He put his hands in his pockets and left the house, fully closing the door behind him. He started to whistle and make his way back to the carriage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had been gone longer than he was expecting, but that was his own fault. He should have planned more time. Even if the princess had been here (which, looking back on it, seemed unlikely) he still would have taken a while. Just to be sure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He barely paid Shou Tucker’s swinging body any attention as he walked past. He almost ran into Amilyn Tucker who was holding her daughter’s hand. Zolf tipped his hat to her and kept on walking. He couldn’t keep the grin off of his face when he heard her bone-splitting scream. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The walk back to the carriage took less time then the initial walk to the village. The driver was whistling through a piece of grass. He jumped to his feet when Zolf appeared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Apologies, sir, I didn’t know when you would be back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf waved his hand around. “It’s no trouble at all. You didn’t have any issues while I was gone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“None at all, sir.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. Good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The driver moved the carriage and the horses back onto the road. “Where to, sir?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Port Irriholm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m guessing you didn’t find the princess, then? Terrible luck, that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf turned back towards the village. He couldn’t see it from here, but knowing that the village would know what had happened by now only improved his mood. “No, but Irriholm is good for many things. Among which is finding princesses who don’t want to be found.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The driver chuckled. “There is also that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zolf climbed into the carriage. It set off along the bumpy, pothole-filled road. Zolf picked at his fingernails as it jostled along, removing the last traces of blood from them. Freedom did suit him well.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>After this, Nina and Amilyn move and they live happily ever after, and Nina gets to grow up as a happy little girl with her mother.</p>
<p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter Eleven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Having barely escaped with their lives, Winry and Edward find themselves in a new, precarious situation, hundreds of miles away from where they last were. Their destination? A pirate ship, in the middle of the sea, with nothing for miles.</p><p>What could go wrong?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first thing Winry felt was an endless sense of vertigo. The second was the fading of crackling, cold energy. The third thing was her arms around Edward’s neck and his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Her fingers and arm were shaking from the burns, and the bottom of her foot stung. The last thing she felt was a sharp, pointed object pressed into the small of her back. She froze, her heart pounding against her chest and in her ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Put your hands up and turn around slowly,” a man with a scratchy voice said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Winry and Edward put their hands in the air, still standing close to each other. She looked into Edward’s eyes for something, anything, but his eyes weren’t the shade of gold she was used to. He blinked. Winry only had a split second to catch him before he collapsed to the ground. She put a hand against his forehead and groaned. Cold and clammy with a fever. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Again.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The sword poked her in the back again. Winry looked around her for the first time and nearly passed out herself. She was surrounded on all sides by various creatures. There was a minotaur, a sphinx, a man with the head of a crocodile, one that looked to be a cross between a gorilla and a human, a woman with the lower body of a snake, and the one pointing the sword at her had the hind legs of a dog. She squinted her eyes against the sun that backlit each and every one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said to put your hands up, stowaways.” The man with the dog legs narrowed his eyes at her, the tip of his sword pointed right at her nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry gently placed Edward’s head on the wooden floor—deck? There was swaying, almost as if they were on a ship, but that couldn’t be right—and put her hands into the air. They shook slightly. “Look,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “We mean you no harm. Let us off of your ship and we’ll go in peace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creatures surrounding Winry and Edward burst out laughing. The man with the sword grinned, his canines long and sharp. “We’re weeks away from any port on the mainland, and days away from any island.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you want us to drop you off, we’d be more than happy to do so,” said the sphinx, his voice deep and gravely. “Ocean’s right over there.” He gestured with his wing to the horizon. They were right, there was nothing but water and the endless horizon for miles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry closed her eyes, taking a breath to steady her. She looked right up into the man’s face, pointedly ignoring the sword he held out to her. “Look. My friend is sick and he needs rest. We just need somewhere to lay low for a while. Please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The snake-woman leaned over Edward so her nose almost touched Winry’s cheek, next to the sword. “And why should we do that? You’re nothing but stowaways.” She grinned, the green tattoos on her face stretching along her skin almost like scales that reflected the sun. “And do you want to know what we do to stowaways?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Martel, that’s enough.” A new man appeared. He was tall and wore a fur-lined vest with black, spiky hair and a hooked nose. Martel slithered back into the main circle as the man crouched down in front of Winry, his hands resting on his knees. “So. Stowaways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not stowaways!” Winry protested, her mouth set into a firm line. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, then how did you get onto my ship?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry opened her mouth then closed it. “We didn’t stow away, if that’s what you’re asking. We just got here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward groaned and sat up, rubbing his head. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> that was a bad idea.”. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry quickly shushed him. “Your ship?” she asked the newcomer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man grinned. “The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> is my pride and joy, and I don’t tolerate stowaways.” He stood up. “Dolcetto, Zampano, Ulchi, tie the stowaways up and put them in the hold. Bido, search them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crocodile-headed one hauled Winry to her feet. She winced when she put weight on her injured foot. A small figure with reptile-like marks on his skin and a long, spotted tail shook Winry down. He grabbed hold of the necklace and ripped it off of her neck. She yelled and grasped for it, but the man with the sword stuffed a wad of salty fabric into her mouth. She gagged, but the fabric didn’t move. Her hands were bound behind her back as Edward went through the same treatment. The fabric chafed against her burns and she grimaced in pain. Edward fought against the pirates, however, which got him a punch to the gut. He doubled over, wheezing through the wad of fabric, his eyes wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry was pushed by the crocodile-headed man to a hatch in the deck and down a precarious set of stairs, then down another. She limped, favoring her foot, but she was still forcibly pushed deeper into the damp bowels of the ship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man with the dog’s legs led them to a cage with thick iron bars. He unlocked the door. The fabric was taken out of her mouth. She gulped in humid air, trying to clear her mouth of the taste of salt and brine. The sphinx pushed Winry into the holding cell, soon followed by Edward. The iron bars slammed behind them. The crew members left, leaving Winry and Edward alone in the darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ship groaned and swayed from side to side. Bile rose in Winry’s throat. She swallowed it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward cursed. “This is all my fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry leaned against the bars. She couldn’t even see him. She hadn’t realized until now how much she had relied on seeing him, on knowing that he was there. “It’s not.” She smacked her lips together. Her mouth was dry. Very dry. And it tasted like old sweat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trust me, it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry reached out her leg and swept it across the cell. It hit against something that wasn’t wood or iron. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward audibly winced. “Are you trying to kick me right where I got burned?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. I was trying to find you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sighed. “It’s not your fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? Because it was me that told you to make the wish and me that overextended myself back in the forest and me that almost got you </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed</span>
  </em>
  <span> back there, and how the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> did your necklace start glowing? It certainly wasn’t doing that earlier. And now we’re on a pirate ship and you’re clearly hurt and there’s nothing that I can do about it because I overextended myself </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span> and I feel like I’m going to throw up at any second could this ship just stop for </span>
  <em>
    <span>two seconds</span>
  </em>
  <span> so I can get my bearings?” he shouted, then sighed. “Sorry. A lot’s going on right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry snorted. “That’s the understatement of the year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait. You can’t see anything, can you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head out of habit. “Nope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sighed. “I guess the secret is out, huh?” He then started to glow with a bluish-silver light, centered on his chest, that illuminated most of the hold around them. He looked absolutely ethereal, there was simply no other word for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry scooted closer to Edward, being careful of the rope tying her burned wrists together and her cut foot. “What secret?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward gave her a flat look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded, sighing. “Yeah. I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned his head back, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “I’m such an idiot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. You’re not, so stop saying that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the one that got us into this mess in the first place, princess!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you didn’t! I’m the one that yelled at you yesterday about trust and communication and I didn’t tell you that I knew that you’re a star!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward burst out laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kept on laughing with his head thrown back, then he doubled forward, his hands still tied behind him. “Oh, it’s nothing really,” he said in between breaths. “I’ve been lying to you since day one and you think </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were just trying to protect yourself. I get that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward abruptly stopped laughing. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shifted. “I, um, might have had a dream?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sat up perfectly at attention, his laugh gone. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She explained her dream and what Al had said to her. The more she talked, the less Edward glowed until it was pitch black again. He didn’t say anything for a long time. Finally, Winry spoke up, her voice cutting through the creaking of the ship. “Edward?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice shook, emerging from the darkness. “I… I don’t… You met Alphonse? And… and he…” Edward took in a shuddering breath. “I haven’t spoken to my brother in three years, princess. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And to know that he asked </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> to keep </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> safe is… I—I just…” Edward’s glow started to come back, slowly and by degrees. The light emanating from him illuminated twin tear streaks down his face. He shook his head again, chuckling lightly. “You have </span>
  <em>
    <span>no idea</span>
  </em>
  <span> what that means to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even if he said to ‘give you hell?’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward laughed wetly. “Especially that. That is such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing to say.” His smile faded. “He’s still an asshole, I’ll give him that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. Edward fell still and she scooted even closer to him. “Why can’t you go back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shut his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never mind,” Winry said softly, turning her head away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I want to tell you,” he said. “Eventually. But… After three years it still hurts, you know? And even though this goes way beyond three years, it’s hard. To talk about. Us stars don’t like mentioning it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, princess, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need </span>
  </em>
  <span>you to understand. I do want to tell you. Because we are friends and I do genuinely like talking to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry gave him a reassuring smile. “I get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyebrows scrunched together quizzically. “You sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded. “I’m sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you wish.” He started to glow a little bit brighter. He took a deep breath. “Princess, I hope you know—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Footsteps fell close by. Edward immediately stopped glowing and Winry scooted away from Edward as fast as she could. The captain appeared, carrying a candle. He put it on the floor and crouched down while balancing on his toes. The candle holder slid along the floor as the ship rocked back and forth. The captain rested his chin on his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So. What made you want to stow away on my ship?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not stowaways,” Edward said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The captain tapped his cheek. “You keep </span>
  <em>
    <span>saying</span>
  </em>
  <span> that, but I don’t believe you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just outside of the candlelight, a lid of a barrel popped and rolled until it bumped into the captain and clattered to the ground. Someone hopped out of the barrel, his black hair pulled back into a ponytail and a cheerful smile on his face. “Did I hear something about stowaways?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The captain groaned, his face scrunching together. “Not you again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat down, the candle in between him and the captain. He turned to Edward and Winry. “My name’s Ling. I’m an actual stowaway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The captain pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yes. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>that. This is the </span>
  <em>
    <span>seventh </span>
  </em>
  <span>time you’ve been on my ship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know!” Ling exclaimed, clearly excited about something. “So I can tell you that they’re not stowaways. I heard their entire conversation, though. Want me to tell you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry paled. Edward turned to Ling and glared at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Not really.” The captain turned to Ling. “Well, if you’re not stowaways, then tell me how you two got on my ship, since </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> apparently knows her better than I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are correct. I do. I have no idea how they got here, they didn’t say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward snorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The captain glared at Edward. “I suggest you keep your mouth </span>
  <em>
    <span>shut</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shrugged. “Fine by me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The captain sighed. “Great. There’s two of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Ling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed. “Nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling looked down at the candle. “Are you sure that’s a good thing? Having an open flame in the bowels of your ship?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you rather me blow it out so </span>
  <em>
    <span>none</span>
  </em>
  <span> of us can see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling shrugged. “I mean, if you want. He can glow, so we wouldn’t be in total darkness.” He pointed at Edward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s heart started to beat a little faster, her breathing became shorter. She glanced at Edward out of the corner of her eye. His face was completely blank. It was only because of years of political training was Winry able to do the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The captain slowly turned to face Edward. “What do you mean, he can glow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something about stars? I’m not sure, I didn’t catch the whole conversation,” said Ling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said you did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I caught </span>
  <em>
    <span>most</span>
  </em>
  <span> of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘Most’ isn’t… Never mind.” He leaned forward. Winry and Edward stayed perfectly still. “My name is Greed, and I’m the captain of this ship. Everything here is under my control, from the stern to the rudder. Every person on this ship is loyal to me, even this imbecile.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take that as a compliment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed narrowed his eyes, but continued. “I‘ll spare your lives, but you have to answer all of my questions completely and honestly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why should we trust you?” Edward spat. “You tied us up and threw us down here without giving us a chance to explain ourselves. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not giving you squat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed laughed. A full body, head thrown back laugh. “Because if you don’t I’ll throw you overboard.” Ling opened his mouth to speak, but Greed shoved his hand over Ling’s mouth to shut him up. Ling rolled his eyes. “Or I’ll have Heinkel rip you apart. Maybe I’ll let Martel crush your windpipes. Or I might have Ulchi bite off a few limbs.” Greed cried out, yanking his hand back. He shot Ling a disgusted look. “Seriously?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We both know you’re not going to do any of that,” said Ling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because if you were the type to do that, this wouldn’t be my seventh time as a stowaway on your ship. Honestly, I should be promoted to crew member for as much work as I’ve been doing around here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You? Work?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, work, believe it or not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry and Edward shared a glance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” said Greed, pointedly looking away from Ling. “Tell me why you’re on my ship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Believe it or not, it was an accident,” said Edward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? And how is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t tell you,” said Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t tell you that, either,” said Edward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed sighed, and pulled Winry’s necklace out of a pocket. “Tell me what this is, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry perked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed grinned. “You want this, right? Then tell me what I want to know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it now?” Greed said exasperatedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling held his hand out for the necklace. His eyes narrowed, Greed handed it over. Ling inspected the necklace for several moments, then smiled. He stood up, and bowed to Winry. “It is a pleasure to have you on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span>, your highness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed stared at Ling. “What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling sat back down and showed the necklace to Greed. “Do you know what this is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A necklace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what’s on it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mistletoe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. And if you look closely, right there in one of the berries…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed snatched the necklace away from Ling. He squinted and held it close to the candlelight. “Holy hell,” he breathed. “Is that…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sword and anvil of Camelot. It’s good quality iron too, so whoever it came from has to be wealthy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed snorted. “You’d know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So would you, if you paid attention.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed ground his teeth together. “Get to the point.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Camelot has a princess that’s around her age, and she looks like both the king and queen. It was easy to put two and two together.” Ling took back the necklace and placed it in front of Winry. “Now the real question is what is the princess of Camelot doing on a pirate ship?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a pirate ship?” Edward exclaimed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling and Greed stared at him. “Seriously?” Greed asked. “Where else would you find a minotaur, a were-toad, a human ape, a nāga, and other non-humans as crew members? A </span>
  <em>
    <span>merchant </span>
  </em>
  <span>ship?” Both Greed and Ling scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward stammered. “I don’t know…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed turned to Winry. “So. Princess. What’s your name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry kept her face completely blank, although her stomach tightened at Greed’s use of the word princess. “Winry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me guess. The blond idiot is your bodyguard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward narrowed his eyes. Winry said nothing. Although it was technically true, it didn’t feel right to refer to Edward as </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>her bodyguard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed pushed against his knees and stood up. “Well, I guess I have no choice. I’m going to hold you for ransom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward jumped to his feet and pressed himself against the iron bars, his hands balling into fists behind his back. “You can’t do that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed shrugged. “It’s my ship, kid. Besides, we’re pirates. It’s kind of what we do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling looked between Edward and Greed. Edward was fuming, but Greed looked completely nonchalant. The ship swayed, nearly knocking Edward on top of Winry. He steadied himself before he could by putting his foot in between two of the bars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stood up, putting her foot securely over the necklace so it wouldn’t slide anywhere. “Edward,” she said softly. He turned his head to look at her, and she could see the hopelessness in his eyes. “Let me handle this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward.” Winry turned to face Greed. “I’m willing to trade information for safe passage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No can do, that deal has passed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then how about we make a new one? Safe passage in exchange for work. Your crew is small, and if you’re anything like your name you’ll take whatever you can. Am I right, Greed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corners of Ling’s mouth pulled into a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed took a step forward. “And why would I do that? My crew is more capable than you think, princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry narrowed her eyes. It was one thing for Edward to call her that, it was another for someone else to do the same, let alone twice in one conversation. She could almost hear Edward clenching his jaw next to her. “What gives you the right to call me that? As far as you’re concerned, I am Princess Winry of the ancient house of Pendragon, the heir apparent of Camelot and I demand that you treat me with the respect that my station affords me. At the very least, untie my companion and give us safe passage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed chuckled. “Two can play at that game, princess. Fine. Princess Winry of Camelot, meet Harrison Charles d’Avington Paxton van Kahler Klossowski-Smith the fifth, second prince of Amestris. At your service.” He bowed low with a comical flourish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward snorted. “That’s not a real name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trust me, it is,” said Ling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “I can see why you go by Greed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is a lot easier to say, I’ll give you that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So why become a pirate?” asked Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is the crown princess of Camelot hundreds of miles away from Camelot?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a long story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got nothing but time, princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shot him a glare. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> call me that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What should I call you, then? Highness? HRH? Camelot-Spawn? I’m sure as hell not using your entire title.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Winry is fine,” she said coolly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay then, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Winry</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Why are you so far from home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In as simple terms as she could, and leaving out most of the exciting parts, Winry explained the attempts on her life back in Camelot, and the reasoning for her leaving it behind. The candle had barely any time to drip wax onto the candleholder when she had finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know who was sending the assassins?” Ling asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” said Winry. “There was nothing on them that gave anything away.” She turned to Greed. “Now your turn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed. “What the hell. I found being third in line to the throne to be boring, so I left, found myself a crew, and became a pirate. Nothing else to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why a pirate, though?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed laughed. “What is this, an interrogation? I hate my family, nothing more. They’re just a bunch of spineless, slimy politicians who have done absolutely nothing good in their lives. I hated it, it was cramping my style, so I left. Best decision of my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re in similar boats,” said Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should hope so, considering we’re on the same ship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling chuckled. Winry ignored him. “I think we can help each other.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can you offer me that I don’t already have?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Winry said honestly. “All we have are the clothes on our backs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re building a real strong case, there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling looked up at Greed. “We’re here, you might as well make use of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed rolled his eyes. “Right. Stowaways. I nearly forgot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the only stowaway here, remember?” Ling said, poking Greed in the arm. “I snuck onto the ship way back in Anworth while you were too busy laughing on your ass.” He gestured to Winry and Edward. “They got here today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that have to do with anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling stood up, his smile gone. He stood with experience in the swaying ship, whereas Winry had to hold onto the bars to keep herself steady. “You want to stick it to your family? Help her. They’ll hate nothing more than one of their own helping an enemy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed glanced over at Ling and his face softened just a bit. “Fine. I’ll talk to the crew.” He turned away from them. “I’m leaving the candle, so if anything catches fire I’ll throw you to the sharks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sharks are actually—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever.” He left without another word. The candle flickered as he walked away and into the darkness.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm going to let this chapter completely speak for itself. There's <i>so much</i> I could say about it, but I think Ling's entrance said more than I possibly could. Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter Twelve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A brief introduction to life on a pirate ship, and a much-needed conversation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ling turned to Winry and Edward. “Sorry about him. He gets moody whenever I show up without warning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward raised his eyebrows. “And this happens… a lot?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling grinned. “Seventh time and counting! Maybe this time he’ll add me as an actual crew member.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you want to be a crew member so bad?” Winry asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling sat down in a single fluid motion, his yellow jacket flaring out around him. “A lot of reasons. Mostly I like the freedom of the open sea. The people aren’t half-bad, either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry used the bars to lower herself to the ground. Edward did the same, swaying more than she did. He sat a few feet from her, his back against the bars and his head between his knees with his arms wrapped around his legs. “How are you feeling?” Winry asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shook his head almost imperceptibly. “Woozy. Like I did at that guy’s house, but with seasickness on top of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry winced. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward lifted his head up just enough for one of his eyes to meet Winry’s. “Like I said, princess, it’s not your fault.” He immediately groaned and put his head back between his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling cleared his throat. “So. How’d you two end up here anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you want to know?” Edward said, his voice muffled by his legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a star, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward mumbled under his breath. “That’s none of your concern.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling shrugged. “You were glowing earlier. She talked about stars. I put two and two together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward chuckled under his breath. “You’re a lot smarter than you look.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get that a lot.” Ling scooted closer to Edward's side of the holding cell. “Can you grant immortality?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Of course I can’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Legends say—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Legends are full of crap, all right?” Edward lifted his head just enough to glare at Ling.</span>
</p><p><span>Ling shook his head. “Not the ones about the people who eat hearts. The ones about stars </span><em><span>giving</span></em> <em><span>away </span></em><span>their hearts.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Winry froze. “Eating hearts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling nodded and turned to her. His long ponytail flopped over his shoulder. “The hearts of stars have a lot of magical properties. Witches in particular like to catch them when they fall to Faerie so they can cut out a living heart and eat it, gaining magic and—“ He saw Winry’s face, her wide eyes and pale skin, as she stared at Edward. He looked down at the ground, his nostrils flared and eyebrows furrowed. One of his fingers tapped against his knee, almost anxious. Ling cleared his throat and shook his head. “It’s just a legend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward?” Winry said, her voice soft, ignoring Ling. “Is this true? Is that why she tried to kill you?” She grabbed hold of the cool iron bars and made her way over to Edward so her knees were pressed up against his feet. She ducked her head to get into his line of sight. “Edward?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He met her eyes for a split second before he turned his head away and nodded. “After I fell, I was hunted for weeks until I stumbled into Camelot. I don’t know how, but it protected me. Shielded me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry ached to reach out to him, but her hands were still bound behind her back. So was Edward’s. “Do you want me to untie you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded faintly, still looking away from her. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can untie you,” Ling offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Winry said, turning so her bound hands faced Ling. Before long the rope fell away and her hands were free. Winry crawled over to Edward and started to untie his wrists. Ling guided her through the steps of how to do it, being more familiar with knots than she was. Before long, Edward’s wrists were also free. They were red where the rope had rubbed against his skin and burns. Winry supposed her wrists looked similar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry turned to Ling. “Do you think we’ll get out of here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A grin split across his face. “Obviously. I know Greed almost better than he knows himself. Besides, Darius and Heinkel love having me around. And I know that Martel will appreciate having another woman around. You’ll be out in no time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “Thanks.” She leaned up against the back of the hold, next to Edward. His head lolled onto her shoulder and he groaned. She pressed the back of her hand against his head. It wasn’t as clammy as the last time she had checked, but there was still some sweat and his fever was still going. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’m gonna throw up,” he mumbled into Winry’s shoulder. “You know, this reminds me of the time that me and Jaqueline were changing shifts at the castle and she kept going on and on and on and on about how she saw this chipmunk slither down stairs and I was like, ‘Jaqueline, chipmunks don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>slither</span>
  </em>
  <span> they scurry,’ but she explained how it didn’t have any legs--’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling shoved a bucket through the bars right as Edward gagged. Winry grabbed it and shoved it into Edward’s lap. She barely had enough time to hold his bangs back before he threw up in the bucket, his shoulders shaking. “This </span>
  <em>
    <span>sucks</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he mumbled into the bucket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll get used to it,” said Ling. “So. How’d you fall to Faerie, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward groaned. He set the bucket aside and slumped even deeper onto Winry’s shoulder. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling grinned unsettlingly. “Nope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward rolled his eyes and brought a bulging pouch out of his pocket. He untied the string and drew out a necklace with a thick gold chain and a heavy, crystal-clear gemstone hanging from it. It swayed with the ship, swinging in tandem to the flickering candle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa,” Ling said. He scooted forward with wide eyes. “What is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no idea,” said Edward. “It flew up and hit me in the head one day, and it knocked me down here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I see it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward stuffed the necklace back into the pouch and slipped it into his pocket. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have to tell you my entire life story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, it’s just a necklace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling turned to Winry. “He likes you, can you ask him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Winry and Edward said at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling rolled his eyes. “Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward grabbed the bucket again and started to dry-heave. Winry winced at his discomfort and the sound echoing through the creaking ship, but she held Edward’s bangs back again and placed a steady hand on his back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, where are we?” Winry asked, glancing over at Ling. “You seem to know the area pretty well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, although Greed and his crew don’t like to haunt the same waters every time they go out. I think we’re somewhere in the Pasnear Ocean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s stomach sank. “Well over a thousand miles from Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward stopped dry-heaving. “Over a thousand miles?” he said, lifting his head out of the bucket for a split second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded. “One thousand, seven hundred, and eighty-nine miles.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward whistled. “I’m impressed, I didn’t think I could get us that far away. To be fair, it almost killed me, but still. Impressive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> now?” Winry exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know that?” Ling asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry ignored Ling. “What do you mean, almost killed you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shrugged. “I overextended myself.” He convulsed and dry-heaved into the bucket again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can someone just tell me what’s going on?” Ling asked, annoyed. “I feel like there’s a million inside jokes between you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward poked his head out of the bucket for a second. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Should we?</span>
  </em>
  <span> his eyes seemed to say. Winry shrugged. At Edward’s more resolute look, she nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have… magic,” she said slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling nodded. “That makes sense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What. What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling gave her a quizzical look. “Magic and Camelot tend to go hand-in-hand. I thought that, being the princess, you would know that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” Winry insisted,  “but you seem to know more about Camelot than I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling shrugged. “I just hear the stories.” He stood up and looked back. “Here he comes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward started dry-heaving again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed stepped into view and picked the candle up off of the floor. “Good news,” he said. “You all can say. Ling, Darius told me to tell you that ‘he’s a sarding idiot but we’re glad he’s here.’” Greed unlocked the iron door to the brig. He took one look at Edward and nodded sympathetically. “We’ve all been there, kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward glanced up from the bucket and glared at him. “I’m not a kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. Whatever. Come on.” He gave the candle to Ling. Winry helped Edward to his feet and he immediately leaned almost all of his weight against her. He had one arm over her shoulder with her arm around his waist to hold him up. They followed Ling and Greed through the bottom of the ship, passing by hammocks, barrels, and cannons. Winry stumbled along, still not used to the swaying of the ship, having most of Edward’s weight pushing on her, and on top of all of that her foot was still injured. When they got to the stairs, Ling had to help her push Edward to the top. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shut her eyes against the blinding light of the sun. She blinked, repeatedly, holding up her free hand to block out some of the light. She swayed with the boat and widened her stance so she wouldn’t fall over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll get your sea legs soon enough,” said the minotaur, his voice deep and rich. “I’m Roa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Um. Hi,” Winry said, giving him a small wave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One by one, the crew members on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> introduced themselves. Besides Roa, there was Martel, Ulchi, Zampano, Heinkel, Jerso, Dolcetto, Darius, and Bido. Ling immediately started chatting with them as if they were old friends. Dolcetto had Edward sit down on steps that went to an upper deck, and Martel took Winry over to the railing. Their friendliness and openness now was a stark difference from earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about earlier,” Martel said. “We have a lot more bark than bite.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry gazed out at the endless ocean and at its undulating waves. From a distance the water looked calm and serene, but when Winry looked down the side of the ship she could see a rage and violence that lurked beneath. White foam splashed against the side of the ship as it carved a path through the water. It was mesmerizing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel slid onto the railing and wrapped her tail around it to keep herself steady. “So. Greed says you’re a princess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “That’s right.” The sun was still fairly high in the sky, but Winry could tell that it was late afternoon. Had they crossed both time and distance in their haste to get away from the inn and the witch? Just how powerful was Edward? Added to what he had said earlier about getting them as far away as he had… Nearly killing himself in the process...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head, banishing those thoughts. Edward was her friend, she couldn’t think about him dying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel leaned forward. “Hey. You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Yeah. Something about staring at the ocean makes me think deep thoughts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel looked behind her and towards the horizon. “I get what you mean. The sea is deeper than anyone thinks that it is.” She closed her eyes and breathed in deep. “Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can see some of those depths.” She poked at Winry’s shoulder. “You see that out there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel pointed. Off in the distance there were black specks. “Those are dolphins. And if you look down you can see fish swimming with the ship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry held onto the railing and leaned over. At first all she could see was deep blue and white mixing together as the ship moved, but as she looked harder she could see a couple fish. A little laugh escaped her. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel nodded. “I screamed the first time I saw a whale blowing water through its blowhole. Growing up in the jungle you don’t get to see sea life all that often, although I got really good at wrestling crocodiles.” She held out her arms. They were covered in deep green tattoos that swirled all over, even coming up onto her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry rested her elbows on the wooden railing and turned to look up at Martel. “Do you miss it?”</span>
</p><p><span>Martel shrugged, </span>flicking <span>the end of her tail. “Not really. I mean, yeah, the food was a lot better, but I wouldn’t give this up for anything.” She leaned back onto the railing, Winry moving her hands out of the way before Martel stretched back a</span>nd raised her hands above her head. “For one, I get way more sunlight this way.”</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Winry breathed, looking up at the sky. Above, several birds passed over the ship and fluffy, white clouds hung in the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel turned her head towards Winry. “So. Camelot. What’s it like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry grinned. “I thought you wouldn’t give this up for anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel smiled right back at her. “I have incurable wanderlust. Greed and this crew are great, but we’re on a ship. I doubt we’ll get as far inland as Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve got a point.” Winry looked out at the sea. She took in the salt in the air, the breeze that came from the ship moving, the gentle splash of waves against the hull. “There are trees everywhere. Big, ancient oaks. Elm trees that reach for the sky. I used to sneak out of the main castle of Camelot and go to this one yew tree and climb it. I have a scar on my leg from when I fell out of it as a child.” She grinned. “My dad was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>mad, but he was mostly mad that I went tree-climbing without him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s your favorite spot in Camelot?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry hummed, thinking. “The roof of the keep. Almost no one went up there. Most of the guards were on the castle walls, but they rarely went to the very top of the keep. I would stand there for hours, looking out on everything. Sometimes I thought that I could see the edge of Camelot.” She smiled, fond memories coming back to her. “It’s small, but not that small.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And there always seemed to be a festival going on. There was Beltane, and Yule, and Midsummer, and probably a dozen others that I’m forgetting at the moment. There was so much food, and dancing, and at night the whole kingdom would light up for miles and miles with lights.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You miss it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I miss it. It’s my home, and now I’m so far away, I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It all seems like a dream.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen so much of the world and I’ve loved almost every second of it. I know for a fact that if everything hadn’t fallen apart I wouldn’t be here right now, looking at the ocean. The ocean! I’ve only ever read about the ocean and now I’m on a pirate ship in the middle of it.” She turned around and put her back against the railing. On the other side of the deck, Edward and Ling were in the middle of a passionate conversation--it looked like an argument, now that she saw Edward’s furrowed eyebrows and telltale signs of annoyance--next to Darius and Heinkel. “But I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss home so much that it hurts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel sat up straight and swung around so she faced outwards, towards the ocean. “It gets easier, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The travel. The journey.” She unwound her tail from the railing and hung it over the edge of the ship, letting it dangle above the water. She lazily swung it around. “You can’t live your whole life cooped up in the same place. That’s why I left the jungle, and why I’m still here. Yeah, the ship is smaller than the jungle ever was, but it’s the people I’m traveling with and how we get to places that’s the fun part. It’s not about the destination, it never was. What matters is how you get there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry put her elbows on the railing. Her eyes trailed along the ship, at the various activities that the crew were in the midst of doing. “What if you don’t have a destination?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel grinned. “That’s the best part. You get to go where the wind takes you and see what comes of it.” She spun around, her back to the sea and her tail curling on the deck. “Okay, try this. What do you want out of life?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry blinked. “I’m… not sure. There’s so many, I can’t choose just one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel snapped her fingers. “First thing that pops into your head. Go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stammered for several moments, trying to think of something. Her face fell. “I can’t think of any.” She looked down at her feet, then up at Martel. “Could you steady me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel held out her hands. Winry turned and grasped them tight, then swung a leg over the railing, followed by her other leg. She almost toppled overboard, but Martel held her steady. “Easy there,” Martel said with a grin. “I can’t actually swim, you know. If you fall overboard it’ll be a couple of seconds before anyone comes in after you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s heart raced and she couldn’t take her eyes from her hands held securely in Martel’s. Her hands were smooth, but Winry had the feeling they were covered in tiny scales. She was also warm to the touch. Winry breathed in, then out. “I think I’m good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “Positive.” She took her hands away from Martel and gripped either side of the wooden railing, the grain of the wood digging into her fingers. A bubble of laughter escaped her. “I want this,” she said, closing her eyes as the sea air completely washed over her. “I’ve been training my whole life to be the next queen of Camelot. I can confidently say that Edward is one of my only friends, and the only one close to me in age.” She opened her eyes and looked back out towards the horizon. It was so far away, yet Winry felt like if she just reached out she could touch it. “I want… I want to be normal. Well, not exactly. But I don’t want to be the princess all the time. I want to go crazy. Absolutely feral.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel laughed. “You’re well on your way to that, Winry. I didn’t even dare sit on the railing my first day on a ship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry took her eyes away from the horizon. “Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really. You’re braver than you think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked down at her feet hanging above the ocean. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel slid  backwards off of the railing. “No problem. Do you need help getting down, or…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shook her head. “I should be fine. But thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel slithered away to another part of the ship. Winry allowed herself to look around. As far as she knew, Greed, Ling, and herself were the only humans on board. She found that she didn’t care. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She started to sway with the ship, and as she became more comfortable she looked back out at the ocean. She still gripped the railing with her hands, the texture of the wood somehow not aggravating her burns. The railing was just wide enough that it was even comfortable to sit on. Winry closed her eyes and let the wind move around her. When she opened them, Greed was leaning with his back against the railing, his arms crossed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your friend is below deck,” he said. “He has heat stroke on top of seasickness, and he is incredibly loopy, so Darius is keeping an eye on him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the deal with you two, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked over at him. “I don’t follow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding.” His eyebrows came together and shot up. “You’re not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you even talking about?” Winry asked, exasperated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he said, pushing off of the railing. “Supper’s in an hour, below deck. If you want to eat, I’d be there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Confused, Winry nodded. “Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed walked away, muttering to himself. A few minutes later, Winry turned and slid off of the railing onto the deck. She went to the stairs that lead below deck and ducked her head so she wouldn’t hit it on the way down. A lamp swung from the ceiling and a large, broad-shouldered man with three times the amount of hair as a human sat in a hammock, reading. He pointed to another hammock without taking his eyes off of his book. Winry followed, seeing Edward nestled into a hammock. Just like before, he was fast asleep and had a wet rag on his forehead. Winry sighed, but couldn’t keep the corners of her lips from curling up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t spend two days out cold, okay?” she said softly, so as not to interrupt Darius in his reading. “Just… rest. And heal.” She brushed a lock of his golden hair out of his face. “Don’t leave me hanging.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward cracked an eye open, a faint smirk forming on his face. “As you wish, princess,” he mumbled before his head lolled to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled and went back up onto the top deck.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave comments/kudos!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter Thirteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As the days pass on the <i>Devil's Nest</i>, Edward and Winry learn new skills, things about each other, and something between them changes. Just like how the waves on the sea are deep an infinite, so are the stars.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: everything that I know about ships comes from Critical Role. Have fun!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Edward was fine by the time night came. His energy was back, and he had the irresistible urge to go to the top deck. He was still woozy and completely out of it, but that would go away with time. Hopefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took the warm, damp rag off of his forehand and placed it in the hammock. He walked as softly as possible, hesitating for a moment by Winry’s hammock while she drooled all over her hair. He shook his head and climbed up the steep stairs into the night. For the first time since he had fallen, he was drowsy. At night. Things like that didn’t happen, but he supposed being sick twice from overextending his magic in the span of a week threw everything out of whack. With any luck, he’d be back to his normal sleeping patterns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Above him, the sky was covered by clouds. Not even the moon shone through the darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ship creaked and groaned. Edward wobbled over to the railing to steady himself, then made his way slowly up the stairs to the next deck. Bile rose in his throat. He clung to the railing and shut his eyes, his head spinning like it was on a top as he tried to push it down. The dizziness faded and he continued along the edges of the deck. He ducked under the sail at the back of the ship and stared out at the dark water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It reminded him of the sky. Back home, space went on forever with no end in sight. Here, the ocean was the same. Except there was an ending. Or were there two? Did the water go straight through the land, to the other side of the world? And how much of the planet was covered in water?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind him, someone cleared their throat. Edward turned around, still holding tight to the railing. The sphinx, Heinkel, was perched by the wheel, keeping one steady hand on it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” he said, his voice completely monotone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t see you there,” Edward said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clearly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shifted his weight. It was easier to manage the swaying of the ship if he stuck close to something to hold onto, although his stomach still flopped whenever the ship passed over rough waves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still haven’t found your sea legs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shook his head and covered his mouth, swallowing the bile that rose. “Nope.” His voice cracked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heinkel snorted. “Try looking at the horizon. Having a fixed point to stare at will help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waves splashed against the side of the ship. Edward followed Heinkel’s advice and fixed his eyes on the horizon. If he had a star, or the moon, it would be a little easier. Maybe then he could pretend he wasn’t stuck down here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s your story, kid?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward didn’t take his eyes off of the horizon. It eased his seasickness some, but if he moved it would come back full force. It took him a while to respond to Heinkel’s question, mulling over possible responses in his head. “I don’t really have one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heinkel huffed, his tail swishing around him. “We all say that at some time or another.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward let his mind relax until all he could hear was the groaning of the ship and the waves against the side. He kept his eyes locked on the horizon. This was the closest that he would get to home. His memory filled with visions of a starry expanse, of no gravity, of starlight. The ship kept going, giving no care to the memories racing through Edward’s mind, always on its set path. The wind and waves pushed it forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time in three years, Edward let himself </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re glowing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked down at the silver-blue glow emanating from the middle of his chest. With his face bright red, he fought to control his glow, pushing his feelings down, something he had far too much practice at. His glow faded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is glowing that bad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward didn’t respond for a long while. “It can be,” he finally said, almost soft enough to be swallowed by the sea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever you say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward turned around, leaning his back against the railing. “You’re not curious?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heinkel shrugged, his feathers ruffling in the wind. “If you haven’t noticed, none of us are what you would consider ‘normal.’ Glowing is just adding one more crazy to the mix. Besides, we used to have a crew member who could change colors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward folded his arms. His seasickness was okay, for now. “What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She died. Bad run-in with the wrong people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Sorry to hear that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a while ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They lapsed back into silence. The clouds shifted just enough for a silver of the moon to peek through. Edward loved nights when the moon was thin. Full moons were the best, and new moons always gave the stars more time to shine, but there was something about seeing the moon right before it faded from the sky like it was barely there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Footsteps came up behind Edward, but he didn’t move. Staying in this spot helped his seasickness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything to report?” Dolcetto asked, leaning against a different railing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, other than the new kid coming up for some air,” Heinkel responded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto snorted. “Can’t blame him. It smells like rotten fish and crap down there. Anyway, your shift is over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a soft rustle and a faint wind from beating his wings, Heinkel flew off the railing and down into the lower decks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto took his place at the helm. “Still feel like you’re going to hurl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shrugged. “It’s not as bad now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me know if you spot anything over there, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hours passed. Neither of them spoke, but Edward preferred it that way. His seasickness came and went with the tides. Clouds moved across the sky, the ship cut through the water, and through it all Edward stared at the horizon. Eventually, it started to become light. Usually Edward would start to feel tired and drowsy, but he just felt woozy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lighter the sky got, the busier the ship became. Roa squeezed between Edward and Dolcetto as he checked the ropes. At one point, Edward was recruited to help tie knots. He saw the princess when the crew gathered to eat, and it didn’t escape his attention how happy she looked. How carefree. How… light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wandered down to the hammocks around midday. Ling was down there, chatting happily with Bido. Edward joined in the conversation, more like a fly on the wall than anything else, but he eventually collapsed onto his hammock, falling asleep almost instantly. At some point he felt warm fingers against the side of his face, but he was so deep in his sleep cycle that it felt more like a dream. Still, when he woke, he found that his hand would absentmindedly drift to that spot, half-expecting something to be there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Days passed. It took a while, but he got to the point where he could walk from one end of the ship to the other without having the need to turn his insides out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was assigned odd jobs on the ship, which he mostly did at night under the watch of the night shift. Everyone took turns keeping an eye on the ship and making sure it stayed on course. He had one memorable conversation with Ling about the probability of eating shoes one night while he and Ling kept watch. Ling would do it if the foot hadn’t had any weird fungus on it. Edward would only do it if there was no other option. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every time he saw the princess, the happier she looked. Freer. Her sun-blonde hair would whip around her as she laughed, she’d climb the ropes holding the sales and hang down from them and close her eyes, letting the wind surround her. Sometimes she’d ask him to join her, her blue eyes bright and shining. Like the sea. Edward did most of the time, although he was careful to keep his glowing to a minimum. Being around her made it hard, however. She reminded him of the time before he fell, full of light and life as she laughed at him while he tried--and failed--to fix a small leak in the hull.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost a week after first showing up on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Dolcetto found out that Edward had lost his sword. Edward didn’t tell him that he had been cornered by a witch and hadn’t been able to get his sword from his horse, but it didn’t matter. The man had at least a dozen of them. It became their thing, to spar when there was time. Sometimes Ling would join in.. Sparring with Ling was always a challenge, but a welcome one. He was smarter than he looked, and his blades were wicked fast. If it wasn’t for Edward’s training in the royal guard he wouldn’t have had any hope of keeping up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Most of the crew joked that Edward was their new cabin boy, seeing all of the odd jobs that he did on the ship. “At least you’re not the powder monkey,” said Ling one day. “They had me on that the first three times I stowed away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That beats </span>
  <em>
    <span>cabin boy</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Edward grumbled. “There should be a better name for it, at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling only shrugged. “It’s certainly easier than what that princess of yours is working. Roa is a hardass, let me tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sat back on his heels and wiped the sweat from his brow. Who knew scrubbing the deck could be so labor-intensive? “She seems to enjoy it, at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The princess stood next to the minotaur, both of them hunched over a table. Roa pointed to several different points on the map using a compass, Winry copying his movements.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s certainly a natural,” said Ling, dropping his brush into his bucket and hauling himself onto some of the ropes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. She single-handedly led us through a good portion of Faerie, so I hope that she’s good at navigating.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling only grinned. He hooked his legs around the ropes and hung upside down, his yellow jacket nearly falling off with his arms hanging straight down. “She certainly has the aptitude for it, bossing everyone around all princess-like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward just rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few days after that conversation, they made landing at a secret pirate-only island. The princess dragged Edward off of the ship with the rest of the crew, her arm linked securely through his. Most of them went directly to the pub, but she wanted to explore. Edward was more than happy to oblige. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They did end up making their way to the pub after a long day of exploring the over-priced shops and market stalls. There, she ordered alcohol for the both of them and ended up drinking most of it. Edward had experimented with alcohol in the past, but found that it was harder for him to control his glow when drunk, so he avoided it. However, he did let himself get pleasantly buzzed. Laugher flowed easier, jokes became cornier, and Edward had to resist the urge on multiple occasions to brush his fingers against the princess’. She was drunk, maybe she would have grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her to dance. Edward didn’t give her the chance, preferring to nurse his drink with the rest of the crew of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> as he watched Dolcetto and Darius engage in an arm-wrestling contest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While drunk, the princess found a wide-brimmed hat with the sides curled up sitting on a chair and put it on her head, laughing gleefully. One the hat was securely on her head, she did manage to grab Edward’s arm and hold tight to it, the alcohol making it hard for Edward to control his glow. Once she had thrown up outside and could no longer walk straight, Edward supported her back to the ship. He guided her into her hammock and when he was about to leave, she grabbed hold of his wrist, mumbling incoherent words under her breath. Edward only left when her hand became too limp to keep hold of his wrist. He attributed his inability to keep his glow under control to the residual alcohol. It had nothing to do with the way he had nearly carried her back to the ship, nor with how clingy and affectionate she had been, and it certainly had nothing to do with how she had wanted him to stay. None of that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> was comfortably back on the ocean, Greed took Edward aside for several days and showed him how to steer the ship, along with basics of how to read the stars at night to keep the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> on its course. Edward already knew where all of the stars were and how they moved by heart, so it was only knowing how to apply that to sailing. For several nights, Greed let Edward steer the boat under his watchful eye. Whenever Edward would be at the helm during the day, Greed insisted he use a compass, even though he always knew where the North Star was. “It’s the principle of the matter,” Greed said when Edward protested his need for the compass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moon waxed as time went on. At the night of the full moon, they made another stop at a port on the mainland, and Martel and Ling whisked the princess away into town. Greed trapped Edward on the ship, and after a lot of coercion and threats, took away his scarlet cloak and travel-worn clothes, trading them for something more suited for the high seas. Edward got to keep the cloak after a lot of yelling and Ulchi’s broken nose. He had had that cloak ever since falling to Faerie, and he wasn’t about to let a pirate take it from him now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That night, under the light of the first full moon since arriving, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> was lit up with all sorts of lights. According to Martel it was the anniversary of Greed getting the boat. Edward didn’t totally believe her, but it was an excuse to be awake while everyone else was for once, so it was nice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That, and the princess was absolutely stunning. Not that Edward would ever admit it out loud, of course. The way her hair shone like starlight under the light of the moon and scary amount of open flames, in a blue ankle-length dress that only accented the color of her eyes and the freckles that dusted across her sun-kissed face. Edward had his sleeves rolled above his elbows and he sat off to the side as the rest of the crew sang and danced and clapped and laughed to music that played from a box with the end of a horn attached to it. There was clapping and laughter, and Edward could confidently say that he had never been more reminded of home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His time on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> almost didn’t seem real, as if it passed both too quickly and not quickly enough. He had been half surprised to realize that it was the full moon. But now, time stood still. Edward sipped his ale, still on his first mug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the princess stood in front of him. “Dance with me,” she said, holding her hand out. There was a slight flush to her cheeks and she was a little out of breath. Edward took her hand and stood up, setting his ale off to the side. She dragged him to the center of the makeshift dance floor and started swaying to the music, holding both of his hands in hers. Slowly, everything else faded until all he could see was her, backlit by an endless expanse of stars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled him along, smiling and laughing, to the lively dance along with everyone else. But to Edward, it was just the two of them, floating in the endless sky with stars above them and stars beneath them, with no direction to go but towards each other. In this moment, she was the only thing that mattered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, in case she pulled back, Edward put his right hand on her back. She didn’t pull away from him so, against his better judgement, pulled her close. Her arm curled around his shoulder as their fingers intertwined. They had hugged before, they had held hands before. This should have been nothing new, but each time their fingers had accidentally brushed against each other a spark shot up his arm. Except this wasn’t accidental, this was entirely on purpose. And it felt good, it felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It helped that she was an excellent dancer, but this was also so utterly, completely </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was only fitting that he would feel most at home in the arms of the woman who had saved him time and time again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She let go of Edward’s hand and curled both of her arms around his neck. Edward put his other hand on her waist. The music changed to something bright and slow, akin to the starlight bouncing off of the waves beneath them. For the second time that he could remember since coming to Faerie, Edward let himself </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He closed his eyes and lowered his head close to her ear, his nose brushing against her ear. His heart raced, and he couldn’t hold her name back any longer. His heart rose in his chest, light and carefree. Glowing. “Winry,” he said. His voice didn’t carry above the music nor the ocean around them. It was only for her to hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time since they had started dancing, she stepped on his toes. They didn’t stop dancing—it was more like glorified swaying at this point—but he heard the breath catch in her throat. She turned her head so their cheeks brushed against each other. “You’re glowing,” she finally managed to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” He closed his eyes. “Winry.” Her name tasted like sunlight and salt, of a breeze dancing through a forest of spring. Why had he waited so long to say her name? “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Winry.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wrapped both of her arms loosely around his neck. Edward’s hands ghosted at her waist. “Edward,” she whispered. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Edward.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but Edward eventually pulled Winry away from the celebration and to a quiet corner at the aft of the ship. He was glowing brighter than he had in months, years even, but he didn’t care. Winry’s hand was perfectly in his. They didn’t say anything for a long while, except when Edward leaned in close and whispered her name to her. She whispered his back to her, and both of them fell into a fit of giggles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry curled her feet under her as Edward wrapped an arm around her. He pointed up to the stars, telling her stories about him and Alphonse. She, in turn, told him the stories behind specific constellations. After hours of sitting and talking, Winry dozed off against his shoulder. He tried to nudge her awake, but when she didn’t stir, Edward smiled softly and gently picked her up. Her head lolled against his chest and she started to drool on his shirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel held the hatch open for them. He was careful going down the stairs, and much like when she was drunk, he placed her down in her hammock. He brushed her hair out of her face before going back up to the deck of the ship. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later, Ling and Greed tried to tease Edward about that night. He shut them both down, quickly, and moved about his day. Although, he would stop and watch Dolcetto and Martel show Winry how to use a sword, and he’d feel a smile bubble out of him. He’d be scrubbing the deck with Ling and remember Winry’s smile as she asked him to dance. He would tie the sails down with Bido and mess up the knot because her name would be running though his head like a song that he didn’t want to let go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After he was put on the rotation of night shifts, Winry would come up and they’d sit in complete silence, their shoulders pressed together. Sometimes she would play around with his fingers, moving them around as if they fascinated her, all the while he kept watch. In quiet moments between them, Edward would whisper her name, just for her to hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moon waned until it was nothing but a sliver. He was keeping the ship steady, with Winry sitting on a railing in front of him, resting the side of her head on the wooden beam of the sail. Looking at her and feeling the now-familiar glow in his chest, Edward realized that he was perfectly happy. Above him, Alphonse’s star twinkled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-oOo-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>King Yuriy winced as another boulder crashed into the walls of Camelot. Around him, his kingdom burned. The walls of Camelot hadn’t broken, yet, but with how much force Bradley was putting on them, they soon would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sky was so filled with smoke and ash that he couldn’t see the stars above him. It was almost a new moon, the second one since Winry had left. It was for the best, he reasoned. If she died, there was no hope for Camelot. Still, he doubted that sending her away was the right choice at times. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mustang appeared next to him. He stood at attention with his hands behind his back, yet his posture was relaxed. As relaxed as one could be during a siege, anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything new to report?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bradley is sending everything he has at us. Hawkeye keeps trying to find ways in, but he’s got the entire city surrounded. Not even the sluice gates are open.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn them,” Yuriy muttered. “This siege has gone on long enough. These </span>
  <em>
    <span>wars</span>
  </em>
  <span> have gone on long enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t surrender, your majesty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arrows whistled at the outer walls of the castle, and King Yuriy heard his subjects dying. “I won’t let myself fail while my daughter is out there. Any news about her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose that’s a good thing,” the king murmured. “That means she’s alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or she’s dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuriy shot Roland with a glare. “Not helping. Sarah’s cried herself to sleep every night since Winry left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, sir. We know she and Edward were alive a month and a half ago, after the report we received from Hawkeye.” A miracle, by anyone’s standards. She had been missing and presumed dead for ten years, when she suddenly sent an encoded message, the day before Bradley had invaded Camelot and put the castle under siege. That had been the last anyone had heard about Winry and her guard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remind me again what she said?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mustang gave him a folded-up piece of parchment. Yuriy knew the words on it by heart now, but he still read them in case he missed something.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Camelot,</span>
  </em>
  <span> it read through the code. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I know I’ve been out of connection for some time, but I have news. The princess travels with a star. I don’t know how a star came to be a guard, but I’m glad he did; he saved all of our lives. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There is a witch following them. A powerful one. She means harm to the star, but I worry about the princess. It’s been four days since I’ve last seen either of them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m on my way back to Camelot, there are whisperings of an attack within a fortnight. I expect to be there soon. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Riza Hawkeye, Knight of the Round Table</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuriy gave the note back to Mustang. Another boulder slammed into the outer walls, shaking the very foundations of Camelot. He gripped onto the stone parapet for balance as he looked out at his shaking, cracking kingdom. His kingdom that had been razed to the ground the second Bradley stepped foot into it. “It’s times like this that I’m reminded of ancient promises.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The old stories. Of Arthur pulling Caliburn from the anvil, of Nimue forging Excalibur and giving it to Arthur, then Mordred. Of Igriavet slaying the giant Perth, of Fin journeying into the Unseelie Court to rescue Astorre from Mab.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They all say that, at Camelot’s greatest hour of need, the Once and Future King will come again. Each time, when Camelot was at the brink of destruction, Excalibur came back, showing us the Once and Future King. The one who always leads Camelot into prosperity and peace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arthur did the exact opposite, however.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was a fool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mustang snorted. “Bold of you to call the patriarch of the Pendragons a fool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another boulder hit Camelot, this time soaring above the walls of the castle, crashing into the courtyard as it sent hay and debris flying everywhere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to put all of my faith in hopes and fables,” said Yuriy. “But I can’t help but wonder.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mustang nodded. “Unfortunately, we can’t wait for a magical solution to our problems. From what we can tell, magic started this. I don’t think magic will end it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuriy sighed. “I think you’re right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Around him, Camelot burned, the red-hot fires lighting up the smoke and embers that drifted into the sky. There were no stars tonight, there was no moon to light their way. They were in complete darkness. For the thousandth time today, Yuriy hoped that Winry was alive.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Some notes: yes, I gave Winry a Stetson. She's also in-training to be a navigator which is one of the most important roles on a ship.</p><p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter Fourteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As they're coming to Port Irriholm, Winry and Edward sit down and talk through some things, completely unaware of what they're walking into.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome to the beginning of the end, folks</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The past few weeks had been nothing but bliss for Winry, but as time went on she remembered. It never truly left her, why she had left Camelot in the first place, but there were times where it just… slipped her mind. Almost as if she had been on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> her entire life, and not just a little over two months. The time had passed too quickly, but it also seemed as if it hadn’t passed at all. If it weren’t for the phases of the moon then time would have stood at a complete standstill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw land in the distance. It was faint, barely there as a brown blip on the horizon. They had dropped by the mainland before, for quick restocking and for the crewmembers to get a break. This was different. Apparently every six months or so they would take a month off from sailing, and then meet back at Port Irriholm to start up all over again. It was normal, usual. For them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except Winry didn’t want to leave. She felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe</span>
  </em>
  <span> on the ship, and most importantly she felt free. No war, no assassins, no witches, no royal duties. Just her, Edward, the ship, and the stars, with nothing in between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, one thing. They still hadn’t talked about what had happened at the inn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That seemed to be a trend with them. Sure, they’d sit in comfortable silence or talk about whatever was on their minds while constantly touching each other, but they never talked about the things that truly mattered. Not their plans for the future, not about Edward’s past (which Winry was willing to wait for. For him, she would wait for forever if she had to), nor about what was probably waiting for them on shore. It was like they both were avoiding those topics, like they wanted something </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> before everything went to hell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She untangled herself from one of the nets and landed with a thud on the deck of the ship. Edward was in the middle of a sparring session with Ling on the forecastle deck and Greed stood at the helm. The other crew members moved around the ship with purpose, except for Roa. The minotaur sat in a corner, whittling something. He had been working on it for a while, preferring to sit back and let her navigate the ship, and Winry still had no idea what it was. She sat down next to him. “Hey,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello,” he responded, not taking his eyes off of his carving. He moved his curved knife along the wood, angling it away from him as little chips of wood flew off of what he was working on. “Might I ask what you’re doing, Miss Winry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged. “Not much. You?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held the carving out to her. It was of a shark, similar to a beached one they saw on one of the islands, except this one didn’t have harpoons sticking out of it. “It’s for my daughter,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” She didn’t even know Roa had a daughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When we stop in Port Irriholm I’m going to take a few months off to spend some time with her. I like to carve her things as an apology for spending so much time away from home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stared ahead at nothing in particular. “Yeah. I get that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a long ways from home, aren’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked over at Ling and Edward sparring. They were clearly enjoying themselves, shooting clever quips at each other as their blades danced. Edward looked genuinely happy, the happiest she had known him. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> made them both happy. “Not as far away as some.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roa sniffed, his carving halted for just a moment. “Distance is relative. Take Jerso, for instance. He comes from wetlands a hundred miles past Stormhold, and yet he’s never taken the chance to go home. My little girl lives in Port Irriholm with my husband, and yet I feel the distance with every knot this ship travels. It’s not the distance, it’s the people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” He turned back to his carving. “I’d like to get this done before we make port, if you don’t mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stood up. “Sorry. And thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roa smiled nodded. “It was my pleasure, Miss Winry. I’ll make sure to tell my Rhea  and Rhys about you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded, smiling. “Thanks again, Roa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned back to his carving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry considered going up onto the forecastle deck to watch Ling and Edward spar from a closer distance, but while they were entertaining to watch she wasn’t in the mood. Greed was in deep conversation with both Martel and Ulchi, and she knew that Jerso, Heinkel, Darius, and Zampano were below deck patching up some spots and repairing the canons. There was literally nothing for her to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry went below deck and over to her hammock. She had picked up knickknacks over time. Some seashells, a couple of cool rocks, the hat with a curved brim that she didn’t remember picking up, some earrings that Ling had presented to her with faux pomp and circumstance; all of them stuffed into the folds of the blue dress. She wore trousers now, they were far more practical for life on a pirate ship, but she couldn’t help but run her fingers over the soft cotton fabric. She hadn’t worn it since that night that Edward had danced with her, but she still remembered every vivid detail of that night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Footsteps hit against the floor behind her. Edward came down the stairs, his hair pulled back into a ponytail and sweat dripping down his nose and through his shirt. His face lit up when he saw her. He walked past his own hammock and over to her, taking one of her hands in his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey. Winry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small smile broke out on Winry’s face. She couldn’t imagine ever growing tired of how Edward said her name. “Hey to you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward let go of her hand and went over to his hammock, putting his things under it before he flopped backwards into it, his leg hanging down to the floor. “Ling says we’ll be arriving at port soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stood by her hammock, her hand still on the blue dress. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry knew what she was supposed to say. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Get off at Port Irriholm and keep traveling around Faerie until word arrives that Camelot is safe and go back.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Like nothing had changed. Go back to Camelot and assume the role of the queen-to-be, ready to take over the second her parents passed away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she also wanted to stay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” she said. She grabbed hold of one of her rocks. She had found it late at night on a beach, completely smoothed over from the sea. She rubbed it between her palms and over her fingers, the motion soothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward rocked himself back and forth with his leg against the sway of the ship. Winry barely noticed that anymore. “You know I’d follow you anywhere, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked into his gold eyes. They were the brightest they had ever been. She was positive Edward hadn’t stopped glowing since that night. If she could glow, she knew that she wouldn’t stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to remember why I left Camelot in the first place,” she said half-heartedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To make sure the royal line stays intact, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded and put the rock down with the rest of her things. “I feel like I’m betraying my people by wanting to stay here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sat up. “You’re not betraying them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what if I don’t want to go back? Ever?” She gestured around the small room lit by a hooded lamp. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>like </span>
  </em>
  <span>this. I like not being a princess. I love the open sea, the endless sky, the horizon in the distance. I can’t just go back. Not in the same way I left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward rolled out of his hammock and stood in front of her, his hand coming to rest on the back of her neck as he almost seemed to look straight through her. “Winry. No one is expecting you to do anything. Your parents have years to live, and if you want to stay here, I’ll be right here with you. If you want to go back and become queen, I’ll stand at your right hand.” He cupped the other side of her neck. “I’ll follow you to hell and back, Winry. Over and over again, until my dying breath. That I swear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just don’t die on me. Please. I don’t think I could handle it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you wish. Winry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry took both of Edward’s hands and held them. “Can I ask you something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A while ago, Ling mentioned something about eating hearts and immortality. What did he mean by that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He winced. “Winry, I—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, Edward. The witch at the inn wanted you for something, and if someone wants to kill you…” She couldn’t even get the words out. She bit her lip. “I want to know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not pretty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I gathered that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s sit.” They sat on Winry’s hammock, their shoulders squished together. Edward had his hands in his lap, his knuckles white. “You know I’m a star. Three years ago that damn necklace hit me in the head and knocked me down here. The thing is, there’s no way for me to get back up there. I’m stuck. Even if someone had a wish, it’s not possible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time doesn’t really exist up there. Well, it does, but it’s experienced differently. I was a kid when this happened, but here in Faerie this happened well over a thousand years ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My… dad. He’s one of the big, important stars. I think he’s a part of what you would call Orion’s Belt? Maybe Ursa Major, I’m not completely sure. Anyway, before I was born he would come down to Faerie with a bunch of other stars and teach you guys magic. Nothing too fancy, but magic to help the land grow, building techniques, the secret of fire, and a bunch of other stuff. As it happens, there was this group of people who saw how much power and magic us stars have, and they wanted that for themselves. My dad saw this, and so he withdrew from Faerie. He meets my mom, they fall in love, they have Alphonse and me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not really sure what happened next. But one day Mom was gone and Dad was freaking out, saying: ‘They took her, they took her, they took her.’ I think they used a wish to lure her down and the next thing I know I’m watching Mom and this group of three old women, and Mom is glowing and they’re talking and Mom is saying about how she needs to go home, and the next thing I know they have her strapped to a table and they… they…” Edward’s head fell into his hands and his shoulders shook. Winry wrapped her arms around him. She wasn’t sure how long she held him for, but after a while he gained control of his breathing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay,” he said, wiping his eyes. “I haven’t had to tell anyone this before. Everyone else that matters already knows this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to,” Winry said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He inhaled, his breath shaking. “They cut Mom’s heart out of her chest. While she was still alive. And then ate it right then and there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s hands flew to her mouth. “Oh, Edward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was five. Relatively speaking. After that, Dad and the other stars closed off the skies, so nothing like that could ever happen again. Stars couldn’t go down, but they also couldn’t go back up. So falling to Faerie became a death sentence. Accidents happen, accidents always happen. Besides Mom and me, eleven other stars fell. Within a week, each one of them were found and hearts eaten. Usually by the same witches, sometimes others found them first. Either way, each of them were killed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So the inn…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was a trap. For me.” He took her hands in his. “I’m sorry, Winry. I should have never agreed to this whole scheme, I knew I would be putting you in danger by traveling with me, I knew that they’d catch up to me someday. Each day I evaded them was another day I could simply </span>
  <em>
    <span>survive</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I’ve lasted longer than any other star, and it still doesn’t feel like enough. I thought that I could repay Camelot for the protection it gave me but I just put you in danger back there and it’s haunted me almost every day since it happened and you could have </span>
  <em>
    <span>died</span>
  </em>
  <span> because I’m an idiot who doesn’t know how to say ‘no’ and you were never supposed to get caught up in this and I am so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> sorry, Winry—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Edward’s voice shook.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry poked him on the nose. “Shut up and stop blaming yourself for everything. You falling to Faerie was out of your control. You honestly didn’t have a choice when it came to protecting me, it was an order straight from my dad. Is it your fault that some crazy lady wants to kill you? No. You’ve been put in impossible situation after impossible situation and it’s a miracle that you’re still alive. So don’t say that making it one more day is just surviving. There’s more to life than simply ‘surviving.’ There’s living. And I want you to </span>
  <em>
    <span>live</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers. “Have I ever told you how amazing you are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry felt herself blush. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward placed his hands on her shoulders and ducked to look into her eyes. “Winry, you are the most amazing, wonderful, phenomenal woman I have ever met. Scratch that, you’re the most wonderful </span>
  <em>
    <span>person </span>
  </em>
  <span>that I’ve ever met.” He took his hands off of her shoulders and grabbed both of hers, bowing his head low to rest his forehead on her knuckles. His bangs tickled her forearms. “I am honored to be at your side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ship slowed to a stop. Winry felt it lurch as it came to a complete halt and as the anchor was thrown overboard with some shouting from above. Footsteps rushed down the stairs. It was Ling. He poked his head into the small room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Greed says we’re spending the night here at Port Irriholm and he’s doing some work on the ship so we’re not allowed on tonight,” Ling said, poking his head into the galley. “Sorry. Did I interrupt something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” said Winry. Both her and Edward’s cheeks were colored a bright crimson. “We’ll be up soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool. Roa says there’s an inn here called the Mocking Trident, we’ll probably be staying there tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling left, waving his hand behind him. “See you there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Ling left, Edward grumbled under his breath. “Asshole.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry snorted. “You don’t like him because he interrupted us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he should know better. Now I’m gonna whoop his ass.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A laugh bubbled out of Winry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” she said, still laughing. “It’s nice seeing you happy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward sniffed. He stood up and held his hand out to Winry. “Come on, we have a town waiting for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry grabbed his hand and hopped to her feet. “Lead the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward hooked her arm through his once they got onto the deck. In front of them sat a bustling port town, with ships, docks, and several markets stretching out along the coast. The buildings in town were mostly one or two stories high, although there were several inns that got to three stories, and there was a clock tower in the middle of town. It chimed, a cheerful tune ringing out over the city.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never managed to tell what time it is by chimes,” said Edward as they walked down the gurney together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry listened to the bells chiming. “It’s three o’clock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can you tell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because after the little tune it will chime however many times that hour is. It chimed three times, so it’s three o’clock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And there’s… twenty-four…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twelve,” said Winry. “It goes from midnight to noon, then noon to midnight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward scoffed. “Honestly, just tell time by where the sun is in the sky like any normal person.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stepped onto solid ground. There was still the sensation of swaying, but Winry knew from experience that it would go away after a few hours. “Do you want to go straight to the inn or explore?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward raised his eyebrows. “What do you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry grinned. “Explore.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-oOo-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were three main plazas in Port Irriholm, each one with a distinct fountain. Zolf stood at the edge of a crowd, munching on a cake he had bought earlier in the second plaza. His eyes scanned the crowd. He had been in Port Irriholm for just over a week, trying to find any information he could about the Camelot princess. So far, there was no luck, but given enough time every piece of information passed through Port Irriholm at some point. Even if she was long gone, there would be a clue pointing to her next destination.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For example, he heard of how Bradley still had Camelot under siege. The small kingdom was close to breaking, and both the king and queen were on the verge of surrender. There were rumors of the Stormhold succession war reaching new heights of violence between the two siblings. Apparently, Olivier had destroyed a manor during a fight with her brother with her bare hands. Zolf wasn’t sure about that one, but people loved their gossip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The most interesting rumors were the ones about a star. Star rumors always popped up here and there, and they were usually wrong. However, on his first day in Port Irriholm he passed by a witch-hunter with an X-shaped scar on his forehead and an old woman with piercing emerald eyes and a dent in her face that screamed witch to Zolf’s experienced eyes. Both on different sides of the city And if a witch was on the prowl, that could only mean that the rumors were true. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His cake was good. It had little bits of strawberry in it. Zolf finished the cake off and licked his fingers. There was the witch again, disguised as a beggar, sitting on the fountain ledge. He knew just how vain witches could be; he could only imagine what she was willing to do to get this star if she was masquerading as a beggar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t his problem, anyway. He didn’t care too much about the star, he only used the hearts of stars to supplement his own magic. It wasn’t the source of it, like how witches used magic, sorcerers specialized in manipulating their own energy. So while it would be nice to have a star’s heart, he didn’t need it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A couple walked into the plaza, and if Zolf had been holding his cake he would have dropped it. The princess. She was here. In Port Irriholm. With a man who, if Zolf wasn’t mistaken, had a faint glow to him. He glanced at the witch. She didn’t seem to have noticed them. He looked back at the princess and the star (they only had eyes for each other, the fools). He couldn't approach her now, not in a crowd this big. And because there was definitely a star with her, he would need a little extra help than he had initially anticipated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took out a gold piece and walked over to the witch before he dropped it into her lap. She looked up at him. “Thank you,” she said, her voice rasping and ancient. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf sat down next to her. “What is your name, witch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glared at him. “I don’t know—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a star here in the plaza. Don’t look, but he’s traveling with a girl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch cursed, a vulgar word that Zolf barely recognized. “I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> who you’re talking about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe we have a mutual interest.” He lowered his voice so only the witch could hear what he was saying. “I was employed to kill the girl. The star is with her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch side-eyed him from under her hood. Half of her face was completely covered in shadow and the other half had chasm after chasm of wrinkles. “What are you proposing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we work together we can kill two birds with one combined effort.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grinned. Most of her teeth were missing. “I dare say we have a deal. My name is Lavina.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zolf J. Kimblee.” They shook hands. “At your service.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter Fifteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Mocking Trident is filled with plenty of food, mead, music, and dancing to go around. That is, until the threads around Edward and Winry tighten and they both have to make a choice.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was easy to find the Mocking Trident, considering all of the people flowing in and out of the inn in a busy part of town. Winry and Edward shared a look before walking in. Greed and Ling were in the middle of a friendly singing match, Martel was engaged in a drinking game with half of the patrons, and the rest of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span> crew were causing general, mild chaos. The only one who wasn’t there was Roa, who was most likely with his family. Jerso and Zampano called out when they saw Edward and Winry, slamming twin tankards of mead down in front of them when they sat down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This your first time in Port Irriholm?” Jerso asked, ripping into a meaty, dripping leg. Edward reached out for some of the food on Jerso’s plate. Jerso slapped his hand away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” said Winry, taking a sip of her mead. “I feel like we barely scratched the surface.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Half of the inn cheered as Martel slid onto the table, her arms raised above her head, grinning. “Pay up, folks!” she yelled above the din. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward snatched a wing off of the pile of food in the middle of the table and ripped a bite out of it, grinning. Zampano glared at him, but took food into two of his arms and his ale in a third and dumped it all into his mouth. Winry laughed, and in a gap of the ruckus she heard a lute. She drank some of her ale and put the tankard on the table. She grabbed a steaming roll covered in cheese and bit into it, steaming ground beef inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ate until she was full. Edward was in the middle of trying to out-eat both Zampano and Jerso, something he would walk away from with a stomach ache. “Come on,” she said, hooking her arm through his. Edward stuffed one last  piece of bread into his mouth and left with Winry. She dragged him to the more open part of the inn, where there were several groups of people dancing. Edward gulped the bread down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The previous dance ended, and dozens of people lined up for the next one. Winry gripped Edward’s hand as they joined the fray, lining up in time to the music. He squeezed her hand as they fell into a circle next to each other. The music picked up and everyone stared to clap. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Edward glow. He wasn’t as bright as he could have been--he was obviously keeping it under control--but there was a faint shimmer to him. Winry smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned at her as she ducked under his arm and moved to the next person in line, Greed. Winry rolled her eyes, a smile playing at her lips as he smirked, and spun to the next person.  Her feet pounded in time against the floor. The inn shook with music and dancing. Arm in arm, she weaved in and out of the circle to the rhythm of the fiddle and flute until she was back with Edward. He picked her up around the waist along with a swell in the music and spun her around, her hair flying into her face. She laughed, or he did, or they both did. They weren’t the only ones laughing and grinning as they danced, but to Winry they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her feet touched the ground. Hand in hand, they moved forward, then back, then spun around each other. A tunnel formed, separating Edward and Winry for a moment, but before long they were sashaying through the people clapping in tune to the music on either side of them. They exited and twisted around each other, ending up on opposite sides. They clapped in time to the music as pairs danced past them. Edward’s face had split into a grin, and his gold hair shone along with his eyes and smile. That only made Winry smile more. If she had been a star, she would have been glowing as brightly, if not more, than Edward was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tunnel dissipated and they were back in pairs, weaving in and out between dance partners. The music changed before coming to a swelling climax, the fiddle cutting through the cacophony of the inn. Winry’s partner let her go and she was spinning, spinning, spinning, her feet alight on the floor as her hair spun around her face, the music getting faster and faster until she slammed into Edward. They both breathed heavily, holding tight to each other. Sweat coalesced on the back of Winry’s neck and upper lip. Edward was similarly flushed with pink cheeks, on top of already glowing. Their faces were inches apart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The final note hung in the air. For a moment, everything was perfect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A crackling blast of dark energy hit Edward square in the back. His eyes went wide and he stumbled forward, toppling on top of Winry. Her arms wrapped around him instinctually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entire inn stood still as two figures emerged out of the crowd. One was a tall, black-haired man who was clothed from his hat to his shoes in white, save for his blood-red necktie. The other was an old woman, hunched over with age, and wide  green eyes that could pierce through the dead. Winry recognized her instantly and her breath froze in her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward tried to steady his feet under him, but he was still dazed and his glow flickered. The man locked eyes with Winry, and her blood turned to ice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina raised a clawed finger and another bolt of energy hit Edward in the same spot. He cried out in pain. Winry steeled herself against the rush of energy passing through him to her. Edward’s eyes rolled back into his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of the corner of her eye, Winry saw Greed try to land a punch on the man, but he easily ducked out of the way and slammed his elbow into Greed’s back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chaos erupted. Punches were thrown, weapons drawn, and the music started up again. Winry slung her arm behind Edward and practically carried him to a safe spot. He kept trying to steady himself, but his legs weren’t working properly. Winry ducked, a chair swinging wide above her head. Slowly, Edward gained control of himself again and grabbed her hand. They weaved in and out of the fighting patrons and overturned tables and chairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in white appeared out of nowhere, without his hat or suit on. He still had the red neckerchief tied around his neck, a sharp contrast against his white undershirt. He cocked his head to the side and Winry saw a long, glassy knife in his hand. He thrust it towards her. Edward pulled her out of the way at the last second, but not before it cut her cheek. Winry stumbled backwards, the cut stinging. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go,” Edward said, grabbing a steak knife out of a nearby steak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How sweet,” the man said, his voice rasping and cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lunged forward towards Winry. Edward shoved at  him with his shoulder, his knife sliding off of the other man’s. The man used Edward’s momentum to slash his knife into Edward’s side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go!” Edward roared, slamming his elbow into the man’s chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry didn’t want to leave him alone, but she left anyway. She tried to get as far away as she could, as quickly as she could, narrowly avoiding fists and glass bottles. She tripped, catching herself at the last minute. She ran into Dolcetto, who was fighting three people off with only one sword. He nearly hit her with the hilt before he caught himself. “Winry!” He looked around. “Where’s Edward?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked behind her. He was still fighting the man in white. “They found us.” She didn’t have to say who “they” were. The crew knew a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto cursed as he took a fist to the face. His lip split. Winry stepped out of the way of another punch as it landed on someone else. “Who’s the old woman?” Dolcetto asked as he stabbed a man through the arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A witch,” said Winry. A chair leg swung into her abdomen. She fell to her knees, gasping for air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto yelled at the man who had hit Winry then helped her to her feet. “You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Winry gasped, air flooding into her lungs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A blast of energy erupted in between Winry and Dolcetto. Lavina shambled over towards them. “You,” she rasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry rose to her feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That her?” asked Dolcetto.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A green glass bottle soared through the air, and Lavina caught it in her fist. The glass shattered in her hand and blood dripped to the floor. She grinned, her wrinkles becoming more pronounced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto placed himself in front of Winry. Lavina leveled a beam of dark energy at him. He collapsed to the ground, heaving. Lavina inched towards Winry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran. She ran back towards Edward. He had several nasty gashes on his arms and he was pale, paler than he should have been. The man in white also had several red slashes across his clothes, and he didn’t look happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swung his knife at Edward. Winry grabbed hold of Edward’s arm and yanked him out of the way right before the knife made contact. Another blast of energy soared past them, hitting the ceiling. Edward dropped the knife and they ran. Someone hit Edward in the face. He spun around and socked them right in the nose. He still held onto Winry’s hand. She sidestepped a kick and elbowed the perpetrator in the gut with the same movement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry let go of Edward’s hand just as Lavina shot a burst of dark energy at her, slamming into  her leg. Every muscle in her leg convulsed as the darkness jumped around her. Numb, she felt Edward grab her around the waist and place her on the floor. She bumped her elbow during the landing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward overturned a table and pulled Winry behind it. Slowly, the dark energy faded. Glass shattered around them and people yelled and roared as furniture broke. Lavina hit the overturned table again and again. It shook from the amount of force hitting it. Winry rose to her knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward stared at her, a thousand expressions flitting across his face in an instant. He reached up with his thumb and wiped some of the blood off her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re hurt,” she said, inspecting his forearm. The cut was deep and long, with blood flowing freely from it. Winry put her hands over the wound to try and stop the blood. Instead, it leaked around her fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Winry.” Edward’s hand was still on her face. The table shuddered, and a small crack appeared in the wood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we can get out of here—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Winry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked into his eyes. His eyebrows were tense and raised, and his eyes were wider than normal. Edward’s hand slid down to her neck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fear</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That’s what expression was on his face. Fear and something else. His blood was warm against her hands, but she found that she wasn’t paying as much attention to that now. His hand on her neck trembled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He brought her head towards his and rested his forehead against hers. “Winry,” he breathed. The table shook, and the crack widened. “You have my whole heart.” His other hand came to rest on her neck. “All of it. It’s yours. It’s been yours for a long time now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What… Why are you telling me this? And why now, of all times?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Forgive me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward, what are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifted her chin with a knuckle and looked directly into her. “I’ll buy you as much time as I can. But you need to run. Run far, and run fast. Get out of here, get out of the city.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dread seized Winry’s heart. “No,” she said. “No, you can’t. Edward…” She let go of his arm and cupped his face with her hands, completely forgetting that they were covered in his blood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The table shuddered, and an audible </span>
  <em>
    <span>crack</span>
  </em>
  <span> resounded throughout the inn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears welled in Winry’s eyes. Edward wiped them away with a knuckle. “It’s my duty,” he whispered. “It’s what I swore to do back in Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you can’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave</span>
  </em>
  <span> me here—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not. You’re going to leave me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sob escaped her. “I can’t.” Tears blurred her vision. “I can’t let you… sacrifice yourself for me or something. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>promised</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Edward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The table shuddered again, some of the dark energy making its way through the fracture in the wood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward rested his forehead against Winry’s again. “My heart is yours.” He brought his face closer. His lips brushed against hers in a gentle kiss. Winry tried to pull him closer to her, to keep him there, to try and make it so he wouldn’t go. The kiss tasted of salt; from her tears or Edward’s, she wasn’t sure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kiss ended too soon and Edward brought his hands away from her. He grabbed her wrists, gently, and lowered them from his face. Without a word he stood up and vaulted over the table just as another blast of energy hit it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The table shattered into a thousand pieces. Winry scrambled to her feet and ran to the edge of the room. The man in white stepped in front of her. He grabbed her wrist in a bone-crushing hold. Winry struggled, but it was no use. He grinned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nina Tucker says hello.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was too much. Winry fell to the ground in a heap of dead weight. The man slipped under the force. Winry grabbed a chair with one hand and swung it up at his face. It broke, wood embedding itself into his skin. He let go of her. Winry clambered to her feet and sprinted away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blood pounded in her ears. She slid against the floor, away from the main bar fight and to the stairs leading up to the second floor. She hesitated, one hand on the banister, and looked behind her. The man in white was caught between three different fistfights, all of them involving crew members from the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in white plunged his knife into Martel. She wordlessly dropped to the ground. He locked eyes with Winry and sneered. He stepped over Martel’s body. Bido launched himself at the man in white, but he easily cut Bido down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the middle of the fray, Edward looked from Winry to the man in white. He shoved past dozens of people just as the man in white reached the stairs. Winry stepped up behind her </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From across the room, Lavina grinned. She shot a beam of energy through the crowd and right into Edward. He fell to his knees, and she shot him again. Again, again, again. Smoke rose from him, swirling and dancing in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A scream ripped out of Winry as her heart shattered into a thousand tiny shards. The man in white spun to look at her and grinned. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Edward, at his red coat and gold hair and… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in white stalked over to her before going into a run. Winry blinked back her tears and ran. The man in white’s footsteps slammed into the wooden stairs behind her. She sprinted into a dark hallway with doors lining both walls. She tried a door. Locked. She tried as many doors as she could while still running. All she could hear was the sound of her breathing and the pounding of her heart. All she could see was Edward falling face-first into the floor, completely still, with smoke trailing off of him… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Footsteps thudded behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, the last door she tried slammed open. She ignored the rest of the room and sprinted to the window. She pushed it up and had one leg out when she felt a cold knife against her throat. She froze, trembling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve given me quite the little chase,” he said, his voice uncomfortably close to her ear. “Well, it was fun while it lasted.” He still had splinters of wood embedded in his face, and crimson blood dripped down his jaw and onto his stained shirt. He pulled his neckerchief off and wiped some of the blood away, tossing it to the floor when he was done. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry didn’t so much as move. “Who sent you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you care? You’re going to die anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly. I’m going to die, might as well tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned. “All right, I’ll humor you. Prince Bradley of Amestris. Happy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry glared at him. “No.” She tipped sideways and fell out of the window. The knife cut against the iron chain of her mother’s necklace as it pulsed with a single beat of starlight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She twisted midair and landed, immediately falling into a roll just like Martel had shown her after the first time she had fallen from the ropes. Her hands and knees stung with fresh wounds. She didn’t even look up at the window before she scurried to her feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran through the near-empty streets of Port Irriholm, her mind completely blank. She didn’t even know where she was going. She tripped over cobblestones and landed on her hands and knees. She tried to pull back her tears, tried to control her breathing. She gulped air in, her knees and hands stinging from her different falls. She staggered to her feet and kept running. She didn’t pay any attention to where she was going, but as she ran she heard Edward’s voice in her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Keep running, Winry. They’re right behind you. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Run far, and run fast. Get out of the city. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t stop. They got him, they’ll get you too.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Forgive me. It’s my duty. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There are people that want to hurt him. Keep him safe. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t stop running.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My heart belongs to you. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry broke out of the city, and she didn’t stop. She didn’t know if he was still following her. The road slowly turned from cobblestone, to gravel, to dirt, then to nothing. The stars weren’t out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry collapsed onto a bed of old pine needles. She caught her breath and looked behind her. Nothing. Her breathing came in uneven bursts, mixed in with crying. She hit the ground with her fist and yelled out of pain, frustration, grief. Tears leaked out of her eyes and she nearly passed out. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>DON’T STOP.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A twig snapped behind her, and Winry was running again. She was in a complete daze, stumbling through a forest of pine and rocks. The further she went the more her legs screamed for her to stop, but every time she did, there would be the voice. It was almost like Edward’s, but not exact. Still, it was familiar, so she kept going. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She climbed over rocks. She slipped several times, skinning her elbow and splitting her hand open, but she kept going. Eventually, she came to a clearing. Snow-capped mountains surrounded a crystal clear lake, and pine trees slowly thinned out so the lake sat by itself in the center of the clearing. Above her, a single star twinkled in the sky. The lake reflected it back into the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked over to the lake. Her feet were beyond aching, and she was completely numb both inside and out. She dropped down next to the water. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Forgive me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” she whispered before tipping to the side and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter Sixteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lavina and Zolf figure out what to do next. Camelot makes a last, hopeful, stand. A single star watches over it all.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lavina stood in the middle of the inn. It was almost eerily silent, now that the fight was over. She had done most of the work herself, blasting anyone who got in the way of her star. Now she stood above the star’s body, staring down at it with a sour expression on her face. Maybe she had overdone it. It hadn’t moved in over an hour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked around the inn. Glass bottles and overturned tables and chairs were everywhere. The walls dripped with alcohol and the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and occasional moan of someone who was injured. Most everyone had left—those who could actually leave, anyway—and all that remained in the ruined inn was bodies and the seriously wounded. Several people had been killed by Zolf in his haste to get to the Camelot princess, and Lavina had killed others. It wasn’t her fault; her cataracts were back and the star and the princess had been running around everywhere, evading her magic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least she had the star. Although it felt oddly like a hollow victory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina slumped down onto the nearest semi-stable chair. It cracked under her weight, but if she fell, she fell. Using as much magic as she had on top of shambling around the bustling bar fight had exhausted her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She poked at the star with her foot repeatedly. Nothing. She sighed. A dead star wouldn’t be any use to her, and Moira would eat her alive if the star was dead. Stars were rare enough, and now she had let the same one go </span>
  <em>
    <span>twice</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door to the inn opened slowly, and Zolf stepped over one of the dead bodies. He had several large scratches across his face with wood embedded in some of them and dried blood caked around the wounds. At her feet, the star flickered. As fast as she could, Lavina jumped to her feet. “Give me your knife!” she screeched. “Give it here, now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf came to a stop in front of the star, across from Lavina. Blood stained his formerly pristine white clothes. He stared down at the star with a sour expression. He held the knife in his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina anxiously beckoned for the knife. “Give it to me, I need to cut the heart out as soon as possible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf didn’t move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you waiting for? It’s on the brink of death, I need to cut its heart out </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina growled at him. “Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need him alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf crouched down so he could look Lavina in the face. Rage simmered in her blood, and she gnashed her two teeth together. But his expression was blank, albeit tired. “The princess escaped. You saw them together, they clearly have a connection. If he’s alive I can lure her to a spot and kill her. If he’s dead, she’ll only run.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why should I listen to you?” Lavina snapped. “You’re the reason it’s like this. If you hadn’t gotten into that fight—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which he started.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wouldn’t be like this!” Lavina gestured to the star. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not the one that hit him with five phantom blasts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina screamed. Why was he so </span>
  <em>
    <span>calm?</span>
  </em>
  <span> The star was literally right there, and Zolf’s knife was perfect for cutting the star’s heart out. She wouldn't… She couldn’t… The star was flickering out right in front of her! She needed to act now!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf stood up. “I say we take my carriage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina crossed her legs. “And where would we be going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your lair, of course.” He raised his eyebrows. “You do have a lair, yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina scowled. “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf bent over and turned the star over. He hooked his arms under the star’s armpits and dragged it through the demolished inn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill</span>
  </em>
  <span> it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf leveled a glare at her. “I won’t. My driver is a few blocks over. Once there, it will take no time at all to get him to your lair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The star’s head lolled to the side, the blood of two handprints on either side of its face dripping down its cheeks. Lavina rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf dragged the star through the dark, empty streets of Port Irriholm. The star’s feet caught on several loose cobblestones, but Lavina kicked them out of the way whenever that happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They came to the place where Zolf’s carriage was parked, in front of a completely different inn. The carriage was nice, Lavina supposed, but travel-worn. Zolf stuffed the star into the carriage, Lavina climbing in after it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Make sure you bind his arm,” said Zolf. “I’m not having him die on the way to your lair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With what?” Lavina snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf took his neckerchief off. He balled it up and tossed it into the carriage. “Figure it out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina grumbled, but tied the red cloth around the gash in the star’s arm. It had lost a lot of blood. Lavina inspected its face. She didn’t find any wounds there that would have made the blobs of blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The star’s light dimmed to almost nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn it,” Lavina mumbled. She didn’t even know why she was helping Zolf out, the princess wasn’t any of her concern. But she was, so she put her gnarled hands on the star’s shoulders and pushed a bit of life into it. Her breasts sagged even more and she became partially deaf in one ear. But the star’s light was stable. It wasn’t awake, but there was a glow faint enough to tell Lavina that it still breathed, that its heart still beat within its chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put her hand over its heart. Even now, the heart was strong. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Ba-bum.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It beat with a life that didn’t match with the star’s own pale, unconscious form. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door to the carriage opened. “Get your hands off of him, you hag,” Zolf said, climbing into the carriage across from Lavina and the star. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina kicked him. Her big toe throbbed. “Don’t ever say that again!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say what?” Lavina knew Zolf was playing innocent, that he knew exactly what he was doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The carriage lurched into motion, knocking Lavina against the wall. She cursed Zolf and the star under her breath. Her sisters, too, just for good measure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The carriage rumbled on. Lavina looked outside the window. The sky was cloudy and she couldn’t see a single celestial body. Good. She hated it when the stars were in the sky. It felt like a thousand hate-filled eyes watching her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe they were right. She had killed eight of the stars that had fallen to Faerie. She still remembered how it felt to hold their beating, glowing, living hearts in her hands. Her fingers twitched. This heart was so close. She could almost taste it. But if she tried anything, Zolf could easily overpower her in the close confines of the carriage. So she sat, sulking, as the carriage rode on, accompanied by the pounding of horse’s hooves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A single star twinkled in the sky. Lavina lowered the shade of the window.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-oOo-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was cold. It had been cold ever since Winry had left over two months before. Sarah refused to let anyone in to dust or clean. It looked just like it had when her daughter left, ready for her to come home. It felt like a lifetime had passed, and at the same time it felt like she had hugged Winry goodbye only the day before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah ran her fingers over Winry’s writing desk. Dust collected on her fingers. She clenched her free hand into a fist. She had started doing that after giving Winry her necklace. Instead of reaching for it, she would clench her fist. Sarah didn’t know why she did it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A knock came at the door. Sarah turned around. Heymans Breda stood there, a fist to his heart and a sullen expression on his face. “Camelot has fallen, your majesty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah closed her eyes. “Thank you for telling me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bradley should be arriving at the castle walls any moment now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah sighed. “Yes.” She looked around Winry’s room. “Did you know that Winry took her first steps in this room?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She did. It was one of the few moments Yuriy had to himself, so he came here. He walked in just as she let go of the chair and walked three steps before falling to the ground. This is where I would hold her when she had bad dreams, this is where I taught her how to sew and to use her hands to create things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You miss her, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah grinned. “Of course I miss her. She’s my daughter. But I’m also glad she’s not here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah turned to Heymans. “Surely you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you mean, your majesty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah gestured at the room. “Bradley is going to kill my husband and I the second he steps foot in Camelot. If not then, then he’ll wait to kill us as an example. My daughter isn’t here. She’s safe. Maybe she’ll come back, maybe she won’t.” She turned to Heymans. “You know the guard we sent with her, yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. Not as well as Mustang knows him, but yes. I’m familiar with him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah sat on the bed. “He’s kept her safe this long. We only have to hope he’ll keep her safe for longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your majesty?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah shook her head and stood up, putting on the mask of the queen. “Take me to my husband.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heymans saluted her again. “This way, my queen.” He fell into step next to her as they walked through the corridors of Camelot. The torches hadn’t been lit in weeks, and a cold draft blew through the hallway. Queen Sarah kept her head high.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t mind me asking,” Heymans said under his breath, “what will happen to Camelot? Have you told the princess about the anvil?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” the queen said, her voice equally low. “We were waiting until she was closer to becoming queen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will she ever know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fell into silence. The only sounds in the stone corridors were their feet on the floor and the air blowing through the holes in the walls. Outside, the sky was completely overcast, save for a single star that twinkled in the sky. Sarah kept her eye on it as her and Heymans moved through the castle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t put much stock in superstitions like wishing on stars. She kept her wishes to herself, but the star was oddly comforting. It was completely alone in the night sky, as the single source of light on this horrible night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her thoughts drifted back to Winry. Her daughter, somewhere out in Faerie. Sarah was glad they had sent Winry away when they had. Bradly had attacked only a few weeks later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah’s last words to Winry played in her mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you. Never forget that.</span>
  </em>
  <span> There were a thousand things she wished she had said, words of advice only a mother could give. But what could she have done?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A whisper of cold, crisp mountain air hesitated close to her ear. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She knows.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah blinked back tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her and Heymans continued through the corridors of Camelot and to the great hall. Her husband sat on his throne, in front of the anvil. Sarah walked up the dais and sat in her throne next to him, and waited for Bradley to arrive. Yuriy reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No matter what happens,” he said, “Camelot will live on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah held her head high. “Hope rests in her hands, now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Darling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah turned to her husband. “Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you put much faith in legends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah looked out at the throne room, at the cold stone walls and deep shadows. “Maybe,” she said. “But legends won’t help us now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The large oak doors opened. Yuriy and Sarah drew their hands into their laps and watched as Arthur Bradley, Sixth Prince of Amestris walked inside with his back straight and sword at his hip. “Camelot has fallen,” he said. “Surrender, and I will kill you quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>King Yuriy stood up. “Camelot will never be yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pathetic excuses won’t save you now. Camelot has fallen, I have control of your kingdom. All you have left to do is give the crown to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The crown is not yours, nor will it ever be,” Queen Sarah said as she stood next to her husband. “Amestris may have been a sister kingdom, but the customs are not the same. Camelot will not bow her knee to you, and neither will we.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bradley only relaxed his stance. “We’ll see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither Sarah nor Yuiriy moved as Bradley rushed at them, drawing his sword impossibly fast. He met with Mustang jumping out from behind the anvil. Bradley only snickered. “You may be a good swordsman, Mustang, but you’ll never be as good as me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mustang smirked. “I don’t have to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah watched as Riza Hawkeye stepped free from Bradley’s entourage and knocked an arrow into her bow. It pierced through Bradley’s leg, then another one flew through his shoulder. Bradley cursed and stumbled back. Sarah folded her arms for good measure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One by one, each Knight of the Round Table emerged from the shadows, their weapons drawn. King Yuriy stepped forward, almost pushing Bradley off of the dais. “We have survived far worse than you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bradley snarled. “You’ve only bought yourselves a little time. I will be back and, when I do, Camelot will be mine. That I swear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Queen Sarah walked forward. “You can certainly try.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of Bradley’s men took their prince over his arm, and the men left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuriy closed his eyes once the only people in the throne room that were left were them and the Knights. “This won’t last. We need a miracle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside the small windows, Sarah caught a glimpse of the single star in the night sky. She put a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “We will,” she said. “Our daughter lives, and as long as she does, so does Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawkeye lowered her bow. “As long as she’s with the star, she’ll be fine.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter Seventeen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Winy wakes up tired, sore, and alone. She's offered a promise of hope and a solid, concrete plan. Maybe.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Cold sunlight streamed through Winry’s closed eyes. She turned her face away from the light and buried into her arms.. If she woke up, then it was real. Everything that seemed too terrible to be real had happened. However, the sun was too bright and her eyes didn’t want to stay closed, so she sat up and rolled her neck around, trying to get rid of a knot that had formed. Off in the distance, birds sweetly chirped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sky was clear and blue, the bluest Winry had ever seen. A small flock of birds flew in a V-shape miles above her head. The ghost of Edward’s hands and kisses hovered just over her skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t cry. She didn’t think she had the strength to. Instead, she stared out at the lake.  The surface of the lake was smooth and clearer than glass. There wasn’t any wind to make waves, and Winry was sure she was the only living thing for miles. There was a stillness to the clearing that Winry hadn’t seen anywhere else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While there was no wind or breeze of any kind, the air was unusually chilly for this time of year, even in mountains. Winry drew even more within herself. She looked down at the water, at her reflection. She had definitely changed. Her skin was a shade darker from the time she had spent on the</span>
  <em>
    <span> Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and her hair was lighter and longer. There was one thing she recognized, and that was the look in her eyes. The look she had before leaving Camelot. She had wandered around the halls of her home, almost too scared to go into the shadows. Each morning after that first assasssination attempt she had woken up and looked in the mirror. Her expression was the same then as it was now. Lonely and forlorn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So much had changed in the months since leaving Camelot, and yet as she sat there, on the brink of shivering, she realized nothing had. She wasn’t a heroine from the stories of old. She wasn’t like Guenivere, or Sinelle, or Morgan, or even Yglinda. She was Winry. She was alone, and she was cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put her head on her knees. How had everything gone so wrong? It had been perfect. She had left the princess behind. She had tasted the sea and the wind, had felt warm hands and whispered names She had </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Actual, real friends that didn’t even care that she was a princess. Friends that she had laughed with, learned from, and confided in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel. Dolcetto. Heinkel. Ling. Jerso. Roa. Bido. Greed. Ulchi. Darius. Zampano. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was he still alive? How many people had died during the fight while she ran?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s all she ever did. Run away from Camelot, run away from witches and assassins, run away. She had been running </span>
  <em>
    <span>from</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but what about running </span>
  <em>
    <span>towards?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She remembered the conversation she had with Martel on her first day on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Even now, she didn’t know what she wanted. She had been an almost passive force in her own life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stared deep into the water. She could see the sandy bottom through her reflection. Waves lapped at her feet, tickling her toes through her shoes. Slowly, the ripples in the water increased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost as if she was in a dream, Winry stood up and stepped into the water. It was cold, colder than anything she had ever felt before, but she took another step, then another. Her feet sunk into the soft mud, the water soaking through her shoes and trousers almost immediately. She stopped when the water came to her knees and waited. The clearing fell still again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sword erupted out of the lake, held triumphantly by a pale, almost opaque, hand. Water fell off of the sword in rivets, the droplets almost like crystals as they plopped back into the lake, sending an infinite number of ripples outward.. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sword itself was simple. There were no decorations to it, nothing to indicate that it was unusual. But Winry recognized it. Of course she did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, the hand that held the sword approached her as it slowly emerged from the water. As it broke the surface of the lake, her hair looked almost like seaweed as it cascaded down her form and undulated in the water below. She wore a simple white garment over her shoulders that clung to her. Once her torso was above the water, she lowered the sword to hold with both hands so about half of it was submerged beneath the lake. The ripples faded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry almost fell to her knees, but she couldn’t move. It was almost like her mind was telling her to stay and watch what happens next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lady of the Lake came to a stop in front of Winry. She lowered her eyes to the now-rippling water, but the Lady of the Lake gently put a finger under her chin and raised it so Winry was looking into her eyes. Her skin was a little slimy, but not in a bad way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had a kind face. She wasn’t entirely human, with the way her ears came to thin points, the alien angles of her face, and the way she held herself--like she had seen eons pass by in the blink of an eye. The sword trailed in the water next to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, young Pendragon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry didn’t have any words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lady of the Lake turned the sword so the hilt was pointing towards Winry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked down at the sword. She reached out, her fingers hovering over the braided hilt. At the last second, she pulled her hand away and held it close to her chest. “I… I don’t think I want this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lady of the Lake tilted her head to the side. “You are a Pendragon. And you have a need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry let out a breathy laugh. “That’s the thing. I don’t even know what that is. I… I’ve been pulled along my entire life, and I just lost my best friend and I didn’t get any choice in the matter. I didn’t have any real choice when it came to leaving Camelot, either, and…” She took in a shuddering breath.  “I see the sword. I know what it means. I’m supposed to swoop in and save the day and take my place on the throne of Camelot. But how can I do that if—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lady of the Lake burst out laughing. She doubled over, nearly dropping the sword into the water, gripping her side; and Winry could see the tears streaming down her face as she laughed and laughed, the sound echoing off of the mountains around them. The birds started copying the sound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could care less about Camelot,” she said once she regained her breath. “I’ve seen the kingdoms of men rise and fall. Camelot is just another place that will one day fade into memory, then legend, then myth. Eventually, like so many other things, it will be forgotten. So, no, I don’t extend Excalibur to you because I have a sense of misguided loyalty to a human kingdom. I am Nimue, what do I care for the matters of men?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look around you. These mountains have grown from nothing over the millennia, to the stone giants they are today. The trees around you were planted years before your grandparents were even born, and they’ll outlast your great-grandchildren and their grandchildren. Where this lake stands was once a mighty glacier, moving across the land in a race to beat the sun and the heat. I’ve been here to see it all, and I’ll be here to see it all change. Who knows? Maybe in a few billion years I’ll be called ‘the Lady of the Swamp.’” She chuckled at her own joke, then her face became serious again. Winry could see the timelessness behind her eyes. “I do not offer you this sword to save your kingdom, young Pendragon. I offer you this sword because I can see that you need it. There is something that you need, desperately, and Excalibur can help you get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” Winry asked. “I’ve heard stories about what it can do, but I barely know how to hold a sword, let alone use one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s up to you, young Pendragon. Excalibur is just a sword. An awesome sword, but it’s still just a sword. It’s what the </span>
  <em>
    <span>person</span>
  </em>
  <span> who holds Excalibur does with it.” She held it up out of the water. “It is a tool, nothing more. But it is a tool that will help you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nimue took a step back, her eyes scanning over Winry. “You have been touched by magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s heart fell. “Yes,” she said softly. “My—I don’t know what to call him, exactly—best friend, I guess? I’m not sure. He was a star. And he said...” Winry shook her head. “That doesn’t matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nimue nodded. “I can see what you mean But that’s not what I’m talking about. You have magic on your own. I can see the star’s influence on you, which will definitely make things interesting, but you have your own power.” She cocked her head to the other side. “That’s what you were talking about earlier, wasn’t it? The fact that you don’t feel like you have power in your own story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what I--” She remembered her first conversation with Martel. She sighed, then nodded. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. What do you want?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hot tears brimmed behind Winry’s eyes. She blinked them away. “I want them to be okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who is ‘them?’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My parents. Edward. My friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why wouldn’t they be okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Winry said, exasperated. “I haven’t seen my parents in almost three months. The last I saw most of my friends they were all in a bar fight and one of them got stabbed. Edward… got hit by these dark energy beams.” She closed her eyes, seeing them ram into Edward, one after the other. “Five of them. All in a row.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that your star?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> star. But he’s… he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>Edward</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry opened her mouth to speak, but then she saw Nimue hide a yawn behind her hand. “You don’t really care, do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lady of the Lake shrugged. “I have a soft spot for your family, but that’s about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled. “I appreciate your honesty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m an eternal being tied to the land. I can’t exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The water lapped around Winry’s knees. She was used to the temperature, although her toes were starting to get numb. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re stalling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nimue stepped forward. “You know what you need, young Pendragon. You’ve known since before I showed the sword to you.” Again, she held the sword out to Winry, the hilt facing her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked at the sword, then up at the Lady of the Lake. “What if I’m not ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arthur asked me that exact same question. I told him the same thing I’m going to tell you: you’ll never be ready. If you keep waiting for a sign, for a star to fall out of the sky to tell you what to do, you’ll waste away your life for this moment that will never come. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know enough about humans to know that history has its eyes on you, young Pendragon. But not even that is written in stone. What you perceive as fate is a lie. You are free to go where the wind takes you, to do what you want to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t negate the fact that you came here with a need. And because I have a soft spot for your family, I am offering the help that I can. You can take it, or leave it, that is up to you. But if you don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be a passive force, you have to </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop being</span>
  </em>
  <span> a passive force.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s hand shook as she reached out for the sword. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would your star tell you if he was here right now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry grasped the hilt of the sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nimue let go of Excalibur. It was heavy, but Winry grasped it with both hands and held it up in the air. Nimue reached into the lake and pulled out a scabbard and a belt, handing them to Winry. Nimue folded her arms. If Winry didn’t know any better, she would say that Nimue was proud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Winry said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lady of the Lake bowed deeply towards her. “When you’re ready, return the sword. Or not. It will come back eventually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How will I find this place again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have magic. Figure it out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lady of the Lake turned and walked back into the water, disappearing from view completely. The lake fell still as soon as she vanished beneath the water, leaving Winry standing alone, knee-deep in freezing cold water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A twig snapped behind her. Winry spun around and pointed Excalibur at the sound while holding the scabbard close to her chest. “Who’s there?” she called out, shivering from the cold lake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A man appeared, his hands held up in surrender. Winry recognized the X-shaped scar on his forehead, and the tattoo on his right arm peeking out of his shoulder. “I mean you no harm,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry stepped out of the lake. “How did you find me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw you run past in Port Irriholm, and then followed you and the sorcerer out of the city, even after he gave up.”. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry narrowed her eyes. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I recognized you. From the Goat’s Chariot inn. You were traveling with a star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry bristled. Her toes were completely numb, now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mean either of you harm,” he said hurriedly. “I just want the sapphire that he has.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m an emissary sent from Olivier Armstrong of Stormhold. She needs the sapphire to end the succession war and put a stop to the other wars going on in Faerie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sheathed Excalibur. She tied the scabbard around her waist, the weight of the sword unfamiliar. She walked out of the lake and stood, dripping, on the bank. “How do I know that you’re telling the truth?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t. Technically, I wasn’t officially sent so I could avoid her brother’s armies easier. But I’m telling the truth. That I swear on the blood of my ancestors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry inspected the man. His face was guarded in a perpetual scowl, but his eyes were honest. He did look travel-worn, and he was clearly well-built and knew how to fight. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If you don’t want to be a passive force, you have to stop being a passive force.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>In a split second, she made her decision. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean no harm to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Can I have your name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have one, but people call me Scar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry blew a puff of air out of her nose. “Scar. Here’s the thing: I don’t know if he’s alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar narrowed his eyes, his scowl deepening. “Who?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ed--the star. We were attacked. By the same witch from the Goat’s Chariot and someone she was with--I think you called him a sorcerer? I’m not sure what he was, but yes. I… escaped, but he got hit with five of those dark energy beams.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar nodded. “I’m familiar with phantom blasts. They’re nasty pieces of work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry nodded. “I’ve been hit with them several times.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar blinked. “And you’re still alive?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry drew her necklace out from her bodice. “I think this helped.” Her heart sank. “But he got hit with five of them. Right in a row. After he was already injured. Badly.” Her knees started to tremble, from cold or something else, she wasn’t sure. “No. He’s not dead. I refuse to believe it.” She gripped the hilt of Excalibur. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stars are resilient,” said Scar. “I’ve never met one, personally, but there are the legends of my people. It was only after witches started hunting them that my people got involved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked up at him. “What can you tell me about stars?” she asked quietly. “I know they glow, and that they can’t go back after they’ve fallen, but that’s about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t tell you anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He did,” she said, “but a few hours later we got attacked by a witch and an assassin, so there wasn’t anything either of us could do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar blinked. “Well, I figured, because…” He trailed off, not finishing his thought, making vague gestures with his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry spoke up a few seconds later, when it became clear he wasn’t going to say anything else. “Because why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your sword is glowing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry glanced down at Excalibur. The hilt was indeed glowing. Winry drew the sword. The rest of the sword glowed with a pale, pulsing blue light. It was faint, almost like it was flickering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like a heartbeat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry dropped the sword, almost like it burned her. It fell into the dewy grass with a plop. The glow faded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry picked Excalibur up. The pulsing, glowing rhythm came back. Winry almost cried from relief. “He’s alive,” she breathed. She took the sword in both hands. “He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She held the sword close to her, inhaling shuddering breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar cleared his throat. Winry looked up at him. “I’m not questioning you, but how exactly do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sat back and stretched her legs out in front of her. “The Lady of the Lake said that Edward’s influence on me would make Excalibur act ‘interesting.’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar’s eyes widened. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>Excalibur?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry puffed out a breath of air, smiling. Still holding the sword she stood up. The light still pulsed, weakly. “What’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar held his fingers up and moved them around like he was trying to connect dots in the air. “I’m still confused.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shrugged. “There’s not much to tell, really. The witch wants to kill Edward. You want to get the sapphire that Edward has, I want to make sure he’s safe.” She looked down at Excalibur, its cool metal still wet. “I can find him, but I can’t go in there alone. What do you say?” She took Excalibur by the hilt, and extended her other hand out to Scar. “Allies?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar’s eyes flickered over to Excalibur. “You can find the witch? And this st—Edward?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry straightened her shoulders and held her arm out to Scar. “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar grasped her forearm in a firm, solid grip. “You have a deal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a moment they let go. Winry looked around the clearing. The lake was glass-smooth again, and there wasn’t any wind nor the sound of birds. She closed her eyes. She had practiced using her magic on the ship, charting out paths and directing the ship under the tutelage of Roa, so it was easy to find the spark of magic at her center.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Let’s hope this works.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought of Edward and opened her eyes, her magic pulling towards him. She pointed north, off to her left. “He’s a hundred and twenty-four miles that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s two days of walking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry sheathed Excalibur and started walking. “Let’s get going, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar followed her. “What’s the plan when we get there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was hoping that would come to me on the way there. Or you could. Maybe us both.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So in other words, you have no idea what you’re doing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar cursed under his breath. Winry paid him no mind. She wiped the tears from her eyes. She could cry when she was done. She still didn’t know exactly what she wanted, but she knew that she wanted to do it with Edward, whatever it was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the corner of her eye, Excalibur’s light kept on pulsing, flaring bright for a moment before all but fading. But the light was still there, and that was all Winry needed to keep going. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You have my whole heart.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming,” she whispered into the pine trees. Her eyes stared straight ahead. “I’m coming.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter Eighteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Edward wakes up in the custody of Lavina and her sisters after a dream leaves him shaken. With all sides preparing, one way or another it all ends soon.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Man I really hate individual chapter summaries. I promise, the next multichapter fic that I post will <i>not</i> have summaries. They're too evil.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Every single inch of Edward’s body ached with a bone-deep pain that made it hard for him to think, let alone breathe. He didn’t even know where he was, and he could barely remember what had happened before the witch had shot him </span>
  <em>
    <span>five</span>
  </em>
  <span> times in the back. What a cheap trick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blacked out even more as everything in him spasmed and he was gripped by residues of those dark blasts of magic. Eventually, his muscles relaxed although the throbbing spasms still remained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes twitched, but remained closed. He was floating, and although his hands shook and his feet shuddered he was… calm. He blinked his eyes open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew that the second he saw sunlight casting over his eyes that his body wasn’t where his mind was. That it was nothing more than a dream. Nevertheless, he sat up and scarlet blankets pooled at his waist. His hair was loose around his shoulders and his bangs fell into his eyes. He looked around. He almost recognized the stone room with thin slits in the walls for windows, the worn wooden floor, the tapestry with a crest on one end of the room. An anvil with a sword sticking out of it. But it wasn’t perfect. There was something that was just off about everything, but as far as dreams went it was pretty good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward swung his legs out of the bed. He didn’t feel the fabric shifting around him nor the wooden floor against his bare feet. The sun was to his back. He stood up on shaking legs and took a step. Just as he lost his balance the door opened and Alphonse rushed to his side, helping him up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward’s breath caught in his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse grinned. “The doctor only just cleared you last night, brother. You really shouldn’t be walking yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward didn’t feel his brother’s hands holding him up. He stared at Alphonse, at a face that was so familiar yet so strange to him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Has it really been that long?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Or was it just the dream? “Yeah, well, I don’t like doctors telling me what to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse laughed. Edward’s stomach twinged. “Whatever you say, brother. Come on, Winry will have my head if she sees you out of bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Won’t she have my head?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After mine. I was supposed to be watching you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse gently pushed Edward back onto the bed, then sat down on the edge. While he saw Alphonse’s weight against the bed, he didn’t feel it. As far as Edward was aware, he was still floating in nothing. The occasional twinge raced along his spine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward settled back into the pillows. “So. What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse’s face fell. “I’m not really sure what happened. No one is. All we know is that Mustang carried you here, and he’s not talking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward narrowed his eyes. “Fine. Where’s Winry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She had queen stuff to take care of. You know, the usual. She should be back soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward froze. “She’s… the queen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse nodded, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. “Yeah. Has been for about ten years now. After your guys’ adventure across Faerie. Where you two single-handedly stopped the wars going on. You seriously don’t remember any of this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward shook his head. “She… she wanted to travel. I know she liked the boat… With the pirates…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse laughed. “Oh yeah. Ling was your best man, if I recall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward choked on his inhale. He doubled over, coughing, then looked up at Alphonse with wide eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Best man?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse grinned. “Oh man, I haven’t seen you this red since Dad caught you with a pod of star-whales after bedtime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened again, and Winry stepped in. Edward’s breath left him. Her hair was pulled back into a simple knot at the base of her neck and her dress was simple and blue with yellow undersleeves. She looked like starlight itself, and Edward couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She grinned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Al. How’s he doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse stood up and gave her a quick hug. “He’s fine, if a little disoriented. Feel free to tease him, he needs it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry snorted. “He always needs it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse winked. “I’ll leave you two alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks. Are you still up for lunch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As always.” Alphonse turned and closed the door behind him, winking at Edward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry crawled next to Edward and kissed him on the cheek. His face burned. She laughed. “Never change,” she said, snuggling into his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked at her, with her eyes closed and even breathing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry blew a puff of air out of her nose. At that moment, his entire body tensed up as another wave of darkness washed over him. The room flickered and he felt something hard and cold against his back before he came to. He was bent over with his legs curled underneath him and putting all of his weight on his forearms. Winry’s hands hovered over him, worry and concern flitting across her face. She tucked some of his hair behind his ear. Usually her fingers brushed against the shell of his ear when she did that, but there was nothing. Nothing to indicate she was actually there with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” she said in a soft voice. He could see her hand resting at the point between his neck and shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward’s breathing hitched. “I’m fine.” He couldn’t even look her in the eyes, so he stared at a loose thread in the blanket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed. “Don’t do this, Edward. Don’t shut me out. I can see that you’re hurting, let me help you. Please.” She scooted closer to him and lifted his chin. Their eyes met for a moment, before Edward settled his gaze on a particular freckle on her face. Had that always been there? “Are you listening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Edward mumbled. None of this was real. It was nothing more than a dream. He knew that, and this was far from the first dream he had had. So why did this one feel so </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>? And why did it have to be Winry and Alphonse, of all people?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifted his eyes just a little bit. “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry smiled. Her eyes crinkled together and the corners of her mouth turned upward. “I’m glad you’re okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward closed his eyes as she kissed his forehead. Nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She crawled backwards out of the bed and stood up with her hands on her hips. “The doctor cleared you last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alphonse told me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked around the bed to his side and held out her hand. “Come on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I almost fell over last time I had to get up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry shrugged. “You were by yourself, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry wiggled her fingers. “Come on. If we’re lucky we might catch Al on the way to the castle walls.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward grabbed her hand and stood up. Hand in hand they walked out of the room, and in the next moment they stood at the top of Camelot. Alphonse was already there, talking to someone that Edward barely recognized. They bowed and left when they saw Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to see that you’re up, brother,” said Alphonse as he leaned up against the parapet. Edward let go of Winry’s hand and stood next to his brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were a thousand things he wanted to say. Maybe his Alphonse would even get to hear them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward wrapped his brother in a hug. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve missed you. I love you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Instead, he clung to his brother, unable to feel Alphonse’s shirt in his grip, nor his brother’s form or heartbeat. He heard Alphonse’s arms come rest around him when his clothing rustled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why sudden affection?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? I can’t hug my brother?” Edward said, not letting go. This was the closest he’d been to his brother in three years, and even if this was nothing more than a dream he’d take every chance he got. He held on tighter, even though it was like hugging a passing breeze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re starting to crush my lungs,” Alphonse choked out with a chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward loosened his grip, but only a little. “I’ve missed you.” Alphonse didn’t say anything, and after a few more moments Edward let go. Winry smiled at the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With no warning, every muscle and nerve cramped and he collapsed onto the ground. It was too much. He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe as Camelot flickered again; but this time he felt coarse, worn leather wrapped around his wrists and ankles with a cold slab behind him. The sheer </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span> of it eclipsed everything and if he was being honest with himself he wished for a split second that it would end right then and there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then he remembered </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>Winry, and the look on her face as he gave his heart to her behind that table and again as she stared in frozen horror as Lavina took him down with her dark beams of energy and his heart nearly broke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he died, he couldn’t bring her home to Camelot. He would never be able to apologize for leaving her in the way that he did. He would never be able to see the world with her, to see her smiling into the open sea as she hung onto the side of a ship. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not going to die over some stupid little shock.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Camelot slipped back into view. The stone balcony, while looking solid, didn’t have any substance to it. Edward gasped for air. As far as he knew it came, because his heart rate slowed and his breathing evened out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse and Winry helped him to his feet. They exchanged a look, before looking at him with an identical expression on their faces. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Winry asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can always take you back down,” said Alphonse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked between the pair of them. In another world, maybe the three of them could have been inseparable. But Edward couldn’t dwell on “what-ifs” anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stepped back from them, letting his arms fall to his sides. He schooled his face into a blank expression. “I need to get back. If I stay like this, who knows what will happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry took a step forward, but Edward held up a hand. “I’m sorry,” he said, “but </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> Winry needs me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry narrowed her eyes. “Now you’re just talking nonsense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward turned to Alphonse. “I don’t know if you can actually hear this, but if you can then I’m going to need all the help I can get. I don’t know where I am exactly, although I have a hunch, and I know I’m not getting out of here alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alphonse frowned. “What the hell are you saying? Of course I can hear you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a feeling that Winry’s coming to me, and I’m supposed to keep her safe, so do whatever you can on your side to make sure nothing happens to her. I’m counting on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m right here,” said Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward turned to her and he let his face soften just a little bit. “This is nothing more than a dream. A good dream, a very good dream, but it’s not real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, Camelot flickered without the wave of fresh pain. Edward closed his eyes. There was a part of him that said he was betraying the two people he loved the most, that he could stay here forever with Alphonse and Winry. He could, if he just let himself… let go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened his eyes and smirked. “See you on the other side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Camelot completely faded and he fell through a starry expanse. He heard Winry and Alphonse call his name, but it was muffled as if they were shouting through water. He ignored them. He blinked tears away. They formed into little spheres of water that hung in the void with him until he fell some more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This wasn’t unlike initially falling from the sky, although it felt a lot more controlled and he didn’t have a blinding concussion. As he hurtled towards Faerie he passed by oceans, deserts, prairies, forests, and mountains until he came to an ancient cathedral. He shut his eyes as he careened towards the glass roof and into his prone body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hated dreams. They always ended like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened his eyes with a gasp. Three women hovered over him, each one looking archaic in her own horrifying way. He immediately recognized Lavina with her emerald-green eyes and well-practiced sneer, but the other two witches were a complete mystery to him. One of them grinned at him, her single tooth wobbling as it threatened to fall out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina scoffed. “Pull that tooth out or I’ll do it for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, the witch plucked the tooth and flicked it at Lavina’s face. It bounced off of her forehead. The third witch, who was much shorter than the other two, slapped her hand away. “Pay attention,” she hissed. “It’s awake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina and the second witch rolled their eyes. “Yes, we know,” said Lavina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was the one who started to see it wake up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The third witch glared at the two other witches. “Idiots. Both of you.” She grinned and bent low over Edward. Her three strands of hair fell onto his face. Her breath smelled like vinegar and milk mixed with a sweet, pungent odor. Bile rose in Edward’s throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello little star,” she said, her voice breathy and thin. “Are you comfortable?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward gritted his teeth and held his breath. “Not really, no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time the toothless witch shoved her out of the way. “Honestly, Moira.” She turned to Edward. “Do you want a pillow? Maybe a stuffed animal? A hot water bottle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina sighed. “Honestly, sister. We’re going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill</span>
  </em>
  <span> it, not make it comfortable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We want its heart to glow, right? The least we could do is to make it comfortable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A new voice spoke up, familiar and rasping. “You’re not killing him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three witches turned to the new voice. Edward craned his neck to try and see, but he was firmly tied down to the stone slab.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been almost two days,” said Lavina. “Is the wretch even coming?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Patience. You’ll have your star soon enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira stepped closer to the man’s voice. “What are you getting out of your end of the deal? Why do you want the girl in the first place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is on a need-to-know basis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Winry.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Edward tried to keep his breathing and heartbeat under control.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The third witch glanced down at him. “Are you sure you don’t want a pillow at least? Or I can make you some nice tea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina groaned. “Don’t be nice to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We want its heart to glow, sister! Right now it looks like a normal human being and the heart won’t do nearly as much if it’s not glowing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s got a point,” said Moira.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s here! It’s finally here! We’ve waited four hundred years for this. Why can’t we just split it open and take what we can. It’s better than nothing, and it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>right there.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Lavina frantically looked between her two sisters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You touch him before the girl gets here and I kill all of you.” Edward was</span>
  <em>
    <span> so close</span>
  </em>
  <span> to fully recognizing the voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what? Fine!” Moira snapped. “Isador, come on. Let’s read entrails to see how close she is so these two idiots don’t kill each other.” She dragged the third witch away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few moments later Edward heard a metal cage open and high-pitched howling mixed with grunts of exertion. Something thudded against a table. Edward shut his eyes and turned his head away as the crying animal’s sounds were abruptly cut short. He tried to ignore the moist sounds by shutting his eyes tighter and turning his head as far away from them as possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll be here tomorrow,” Moira called out, then immediately went into a coughing fit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take care of your vocal folds!” Lavina and Isador called out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go to hell, the lot of you,” Moira coughed out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you look at that,” Isador mused. “Moira, take a look at this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” Lavina asked, stepping around Edward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira whistled. “That’s impressive. We haven’t seen that in… what, eight hundred years?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least,” Isador said, fascinated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina narrowed her eyes. She shuffled towards her sisters. About a minute later, she arrived. “Well, fart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A spasm ran through Edward, starting at the center of his spine and spreading outwards. It wasn’t severe, but he arched his back a little and grunted. The episode ended as quickly as it came, and Edward blinked his eyes. The man was there, standing at the foot of the stone slab. Edward immediately recognized him from the fight in the inn, from their brief knife fight to him chasing Winry up the stairs. What was he doing here?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at Edward with a completely blank expression. Two thin strands of black hair escaped his ponytail and framed his face. His hands were in his pockets and he stood with casual confidence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward narrowed his eyes. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. The man in front of him wanted to kill Winry, so he would do everything in his power to stop it. Neither of them needed words to know that they were on opposite sides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man stepped around the stone slab so he stood closer to Edward’s face. He bent down just slightly, and his voice was barely above a whisper. “You try anything, get in my way, and I’ll make sure she bleeds out a slow, painful death. Right in front of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward didn’t break his glare. “What’s the alternative?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A snapped neck. A knife through the heart. Quick, easy, and painless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why bother telling me anything in the first place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned wolfishly. “Because I can see the look in your eyes.” He stood up. “I’ll see you tomorrow, star. One way or the other.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward watched him go until he was alone. The witches squabbled loudly over the entrails, but he was forgotten. For now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up and through the crumbling stone he saw a single star. It flared bright, then faded completely. Edward closed his eyes as a breath of crisp mountain air sighed around him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alphonse.</span>
  </em>
  <span> His heartbeat became stronger, his breathing easier, and the last specks of darkness left him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kept his eyes to the sky as dawn approached. He had seen enough of them over the months to recognize the sky slowly coming to light. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Light. Winry. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It still hurt, how he had left her and Alphonse in his dream. It hadn’t been real, but there were moments when he thought he heard his brother’s voice or felt her soft touch. He clenched his fists, hard enough that his nails cut into his palm and he started to bleed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually the witches left each other alone, supposedly to prepare for Winry’s coming. Edward fought to keep his eyes open, to think of some way he could get out of his bindings, so that when she came he could help her with whatever she had planned. So he could truly apologize for leaving her all alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before long, however, he slipped into sleep as easily as honey dripping onto the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dreamed of his family. His mother, singing ancient lullabies in languages long forgotten. His father, distant, yet with a proud and approving smile on his face. He dreamed of Alphonse as a boy, playing in nebulas. Alphonse as a youth, pouring over books and making Edward smile. He dreamed of his coworkers in the Camelot Royal Guard, of the few times they managed to make him crack a grin. He dreamed of Winry, beautiful, dancing with him under the moonlight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And all the while, the cool mountain air lingered around him.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for writing, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter Nineteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tensions rise as Winry and Scar approach the lair where Edward is being held. Everything has lead up to this. Will they be ready?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Winry shoved down her exhaustion. She had pushed her and Scar as hard as she was able over the course of two days, and she was nearing the end of her rope. The forest gradually became darker and more dense, until she was hacking at thorns and long-dead bushes with Excalibur. It still pulsed with the beat of Edward’s heart, but it had gotten steadily stronger as the days wore on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar held a branch out of the way as she ducked underneath it. They had only exchanged a few words outside of their initial conversation. Winry almost liked the silence, but she missed both the easy conversation and comfortable silences she had shared with Edward. It was nice that she wasn’t traveling alone, but Scar was very different from Edward’s bristled exterior that did a poor job of hiding just how much of a sap he was. Scar was definitely more sullen and brooding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar held up his hand before he crouched low to the ground. Winry followed suit, carefully positioning Excalibur so neither she nor it rustled any leaves. He glanced back at her then gestured forward, pointing at something. Winry squinted. Almost hidden from view and disguised to blend in with the forest was a cleverly-disguised rope that hung down from the thick pines. Winry scanned the other trees around her. Now that she had a faint idea of what to look for, she saw two other ropes on opposite sides from her about thirty feet apart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar raised his eyebrows. Winry gestured with her head to the two other ropes and he nodded. He stood up carefully stepping around the bushes and rope. Winry gingerly followed, making sure to step where he had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continued through the forest. The sky was overcast, and the dense woods made the shadows even darker. Winry hacked away at a thick cluster of thorns barely wide enough for her and Scar to slip through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though she was single-mindedly focused on getting through the forest and to Edward, her mind couldn’t help but wander. And it wasn’t all about him, either. Most of the time. Sometimes it was about Scar. She wondered what kind of path would lead a man to helping a princess of a foreign kingdom find a star to get a special sapphire back. It wasn’t like he said anything, and she didn’t ask. His business was his business. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Other times she would look through the near-bare trees and wonder if spring had ever come to this wood. There were no birds chirping, no sound of life anywhere. The only sounds Winry ever heard were her and Scar as dead branches cracked under her feet and the occasional whispering, hollow wind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar stopped and turned towards a tree. Winry stood next to him, staring at the same tree. It was large and gnarled with dozens of thick branches growing from the trunk, and it wasn’t a pine or other softwood. Scraps of old rope swung in the breeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a hanging tree,” Scar said, his voice almost reverent. It was the first thing he had spoken in over a day. “In the old days when my people safeguarded the stars that fell to Faerie, witches would come and take us to these trees and hang us. If we told them where the star was, they’d let us go. If not, we perished.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What changed?” Winry asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar held out his right arm and flexed his hand, his knuckles cracking painfully loud. His tattoo was awe-inspiring, with black bands wrapped around his forearm mixed with other symbols and letters. Winry had seen only glimpses of it before; he covered it with a sleeve most of the time. “We started hunting them back.” He looked back at the tree. “My brother and I used to play at one near our village. We hang ribbons and prayers on them at the start of the new year, to honor the stars that died and to repent from the sins of the past.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry walked towards the tree, sheathing Excalibur. She pressed a hand against the gnarled trunk and traced the protruding bark patterns. “Why did you protect them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My people say that they were sent from God to teach us, to give us Her divine will. It didn’t matter, each and every one that we tried to protect ended up dying anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not all of them,” Winry whispered. “Edward said he’s lasted the longest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because of Camelot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry turned to Scar, still keeping her hand on the tree. “Do you know why that is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose it has to do with the magic that created Camelot, the deals that Arthur Pendragon made, maybe it was the magic of Caliburn as it was destroyed, or even possibly Arthur’s living blood itself. Possibly a combination of everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry looked up through the empty branches of the hanging tree. “I had no idea.” Her fingernails caught on a little section of the bark. She took her hand off of the tree. “We should get going.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar walked next to Winry and stopped on the other side of a branch. “One moment.” He knelt down and touched his forehead to the tree, mumbling words under his breath. He then opened his eyes and took out a knife and cut a strip of cloth from the hem of his cloak. He stood up and tied it around one of the smaller branches. “There,” he said, stepping away. “Maybe that will help remove the stains of the past.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The little strip of plain cloth looked almost beautiful against the overcast sky and almost-dead forest around them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry asked for Scar’s knife. She knelt down like he had and cut off a little bit of the hem of her shirt. She rested her forehead against the rough bark of the tree. She breathed in, then out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she mumbled to the tree. She could barely hear herself speaking. “For doing your best to keep them safe. I’m not religious or anything, but you gave your lives for them, and for that I’m grateful.” She stood up and tied her own little bit of cloth to a branch that she could reach. She turned to Scar. “Does it still count even if I don’t believe in your religion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at the new piece of cloth dancing in the breeze. His expression was softer than normal. “It’s a start.” He looked at Winry. “I wasn’t always… like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled softly. “I figured.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded. “We’re losing daylight, and I’d prefer to face the witches while it’s light out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry fell into step behind him. “Why is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Winry thought he had forgotten the question until he said: “Because evil likes to hide.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shiver ran down Winry’s spine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked on in silence. Winry kept one hand on the hilt of Excalibur the entire time. After about four miles mist settled in along with a wave of cold. Winry shivered. Slowly, like peeling layers back from an onion, a crumbling stone building came into view. From what little she could see, Winry could tell that it had once been a large, majestic building. Now it was nothing more than a crumbling, old ruin. She turned inside, towards her magic that softly pulled her in that direction. She pointed at it and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar crouched down behind a tree and gestured for Winry to follow. “Listen,” he whispered  when they were both hidden behind the tree, “I’ve never been to a witch’s lair. I’ve made sure to get them away, and then kill them. Who knows what will be in there, so you need to be on guard at all times. I’ll hold them off, you get to your star. If I fall, make sure you get the sapphire to Olivier Armstrong of Stormhold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry raised her eyebrows. “Her and her brother are in the middle of a violent, bloody war. One that started all of the others, and the reason I’m here right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and they need the sapphire to end it. Trust me, once she gets the sapphire the wars will eventually fade away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eventually,” she murmured. She blew out a puff of air. “Okay. Get in, get Edward, get out. Sounds easy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It won’t be easy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just trying to lighten the situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t. It only instills false confidence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry rolled her eyes. “Okay. Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar peered around the tree. “Who knows what kind of traps they’ll have set up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I say we go in. What’s the worst that could happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glared at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. I’ll stop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar’s eyes remained narrowed. “Keep Excalibur on you, and whatever you do, </span>
  <em>
    <span>don't </span>
  </em>
  <span>die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded. “Are you ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hell no.” She looked through the mist and at the crumbling ruins. Where Edward was, and at least one witch. Definitely other things. “Let’s do this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding, Scar stood up. “Stay close to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They crept towards the crumbling building. The mist got thicker the closer they crept until it was nearly impossible to see Scar. They separated at the doorway, standing with their backs to the wall on either side of the opening. Winry unsheathed Excalibur slowly, silently. She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. She nodded at Scar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He barged in first with Winry close behind. Inside, the building was just as decrepit.  Off to her right were a dozen or so cages, and about half of them were full of various woodland animals. Off to her left sat a lumpy and splintered four-poster bed that looked like it was infested with terrors of all kinds. There were wardrobes further along, along with three tarnished full-length mirrors. Lavina stood in front of a long wooden table, her arms crossed. At the end of the cathedral-like building there were two sets of stairs on either side of a landing. There was a stone table on the landing, and Winry immediately recognized Edward, even though he was tied down. Excalibur’s light flared brighter. Next to Edward stood the man from the inn, and at the foot of each of the stairs stood a different old woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar’s tattoo flared to life with red lightning. He roared and charged at Lavina, his right arm stretched behind him, red lightning trailing from his form. She stepped out of the way moments before he slammed into her. The table exploded into a thousand tiny pieces. He growled, turning on her, but a phantom blast streaked between him and Lavina. Two more phantom blasts shot at him. Only one hit him, grazing his arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry ignored all of that. She ran, Excalibur in hand. She ran past the bed, but as she passed Lavina the witch held out her hand and scratched Winry across the arm. She cried out. The wounds stung, but Winry kept going. One of the witches at the foot of the stairs sent two phantom blasts towards her. She spun out of the way, only for one to hit her in the back. She fell to her knees, still holding Excalibur as she cried out. A third one came at her, soaring above her head. Shaking, she climbed to her feet only for Lavina to lunge at her, clawed fingers outstretched. Winry held up Excalibur to block the witch’s onslaught. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar grabbed the witch from behind and dragged her away from Winry. “Go!” he yelled. Lavina struggled in his grasp, but he held her tight. “Get the star!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other witch at the stairs shot Scar with three phantom blasts, all in the same spot. He let go of Lavina, his deep roar echoing through the crumbling lair. Thin trails of smoke rose from his body. He sent a glare towards the witch and stumbled forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry slowly backed away from Lavina, who was panting on the ground, before she ran for the stairs. She held Excalibur out, just like Dolcetto had taught her. She didn’t want to kill anyone, but she would also do whatever it took to get to Edward. She hoped, desperately, that it wouldn’t come to that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stopped in front of one of the witches. The witch smiled at her, her toothless grin eerie and off-putting. Winry cut at the witch, but she sidestepped Excalibur and swung her hand past Winry’s abdomen. Her fingernails were claw-like, like Lavina’s, and they stung when they made contact. Winry became light-headed, and she could acutely feel the wounds against her arm and abdomen. She could hear Edward saying her name, frantic, as he struggled against his bindings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay,” she said, even though she clearly wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind her, she heard Scar and Lavina’s fight. The witch at the other stairway kept shooting phantom blasts at them, her face contorted in concentration. Winry ignored all that and thrust Excalibur forward, </span>
  <em>
    <span>pushing</span>
  </em>
  <span> power through it. It went clean through the witch in front of her, glowing brighter than it ever had before. The witch opened her mouth, light pouring out of her eyes and mouth, before wrenching herself away. She fell back against the stone railing, breathing heavily, and glaring at Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate that sword,” she mumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry didn’t say anything. She ran up the stairs, barely making it past the witch, before she came to rest at the stone table. She put Excalibur down next to Edward, not saying anything, and started to untie the rope and chains that held him down. She could feel his eyes on her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re hurt,” he said, his voice soft and  full of concern. He flipped his hand over and brushed his fingers against her wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry’s fingers fumbled with the knots. “It’s nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Winry. You’re pale and bleeding out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A phantom blast hit her in the leg. She toppled to the ground. Winry shut her eyes as the dark energy coursed through her. Edward yelled, at her or the witch, she wasn’t sure. Winry forced herself to stand on shaking legs. She grabbed Excalibur and held it in both hands. The toothless witch stood on the stairs, panting, her hand outstretched towards Winry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of nowhere, the man from the inn stepped into the corner of Winry’s vision. He reached out to grab her, but she slid out of his grasp at the last second. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward growled and pulled against his restraints. “Don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch</span>
  </em>
  <span> her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man </span>
  <em>
    <span>tsked</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Remember what I told you, little star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward struggled against his bindings even more, but it was no use. Winry could see the chafing on his wrists where the rope and chains had rubbed against them, and it was only getting worse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind her, Scar roared in pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She set herself to untying Edward. She finished with one of his legs just as the witch reached out to claw at her again. She stepped out of the way just as she finished untying one of Edward’s wrists. The man from the inn grabbed her arm and dragged her away from Edward. Winry screamed and kicked, but his hold was too tight. He twisted her arm behind her back and forced her to her knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Edward shouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zolf, stop it!” the witch cried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward started untying his other hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” the man asked. Winry shivered. His voice was like rancid oil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch pursed her lips. “The star’s in love with her, stupid. If she dies, its heart will </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> glow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, give it up already, Isador!” the last witch said from the bottom of the other staircase.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador spun around, put her hands on her hips, and stuck her tongue out. “Shut up, Moira!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Kill the star already!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Lavina screeched. “Just get the heart out and ready for consumption!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry whimpered. Zolf held her arm in a painful position, and if tried to move he'd twist it even more. Edward finished untying his other wrist, then started on his ankle. Moira came up the stairs and walked over to a cabinet. She pulled an obsidian knife out of it, and held it up to the sky then shrugged. “It’ll do.” She walked towards Edward. He finished untying his other leg and rolled off of the table, panting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador pointed a finger at Edward. Winry struggled against Zolf’s hold against her, but it was futile. The witch shot three phantom blasts at him. Somehow, Edward managed to dodge each one. Winry let out a small sigh of relief. Edward clambered to his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zolf took a knife out of his white coat. It was the same one he had tried to kill her with only days before. She tried to pull away, but the cold, hard edge of the knife rested against her throat. Again. Edward turned around just as Zolf slid it across her neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She collapsed to the ground. Everything was so hazy. She vaguely saw Edward punch Zolf in the nose before taking her head into his lap. He put his hand over the wound, blood staining his fingers Sweat dripped from his nose and his unbraided hair fell into his face. Winry reached up to brush it away, but he grabbed her hand instead and held it tight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of the corner of her eye she saw Scar tackle Zolf to the ground. She saw red lightning and heard a dull thud along with a soft squirting noise, but even that was starting to get fuzzy. Edward pressed his hand against the wound even harder. “Stay with me,” he begged, over and over again “Stay with me, princess. Stay with me, Winry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira appeared from behind Edward. He ducked out of the way, but not before her knife cut him across his cheekbone. Blood dripped onto Winry’s hand. Edward growled, but he didn’t remove his hand from her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could still feel Excalibur, held loosely in her grip. She held it tight and made a wish. Starlight filled her entire being. Blue sparks ran across her wounds, closing them as best as they could, and a familiar rush of cold ran from her necklace down her spine. She sat up, Edward’s hand staying where it was. Some of the sparks traveled to Edward, closing up the cut on his face and healing his rope burns. His expression as he looked at her could only be described as </span>
  <em>
    <span>awe</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Isador reached out and wrapped a gnarled hand around Edward’s neck. With strength that belittled her withered form, she dragged him away from Winry as he gasped for air and clawed at her hand. Lavina finished climbing the steps. She was panting, heavily, but she still stalked towards Edward. She raised a foot high into the air. Edward jerked out of the way as her foot came crashing down where his head had been. She lost her balance and fell forward. An audible crack echoed through the ruins as she fell flat on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward reached up and flipped Isador over his head by her dress. She landed on her back, on top of Lavina, both of them heaving for air. Edward went back and helped Winry to her feet. She looked over at Scar. He stood over Zolf’s body, the face completely mangled beyond recognition. Crimson blood soaked into his white suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moira ran at them. Winry let go of Edward’s hand to slash Excalibur through her. It started glowing even before it went clean through the witch’s neck. White smoke rose from the witch as she started to shake and tremble, before her head thudded on the ground. The rest of her body followed suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell was that?” asked Edward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry held Excalibur up. “I have no idea,” she breathed. Oddly enough, she didn’t feel a single speck of remorse for killing the witch. It was going to be one of them, and Winry was glad the witch was dead instead of Edward, herself, or even Scar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador screamed. It was shrill enough to curdle milk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll pay for that,” Lavina snarled, crawling out from under Isador.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry turned to the remaining witches. They both stood up in unison. Lavina’s face had completely flattened, and she had blood pouring from her eyes and nose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s where you’re wrong,” said Winry. She held Edward’s hand tight in her own as he stood a half step behind her. It was good to have him at her side again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isador contorted her hand into a claw. Crackling energy formed, and she shot a phantom blast at Winry. She deflected it with Excalibur, the sword absorbing the darkness. The light shuddered for a moment, then resumed. Lavina shot two more, but they weren’t even close to hitting their targets. Her face twisted with rage. Lavina tried the same thing, but Winry blocked the phantom blasts with Excalibur again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar stepped forward and flexed his right arm. His coat hung off his tattooed arm by threads. The arm was covered with splatters of Zolf’s blood. He sprinted towards Isador. Red lighting erupted from his arm. He skidded to a halt in front of her and pressed his hand against her face. The back of her head exploded, blood and gore spraying out and backwards. Some of the splatters fell onto Lavina. Isador fell onto her back, dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina skirted around the three of them. She was furious, but as she glanced at the bodies of the two other witches her face fell and she collapsed onto her knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lair fell silent, and a single, heartbroken, gasp left Lavina’s lips. She turned her head to the sky and howled with a grief-stricken lament that didn’t need words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Scar said softly. “Night is almost upon us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edward, do you still have that sapphire?” Winry asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not now,” Scar hissed. “Let’s wait until we’re out of the lair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina abruptly stopped. “Have you no respect for the dead?” she wailed. “My sisters are </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gone. At least show them the respect they deserve. Even in death, they were still my sisters. They were all I had. And now… now I am truly alone.” Tears streaked down the witch’s wrinkled face, mixing with the blood. Her green eyes darted between the three of them. “Go,” she whispered. They didn’t move. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Go!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Scar nudged Edward and Winry down the stairs and away from Lavina. Edward leaned in close to Winry’s ear. “I’m so sorry for leaving you back at the inn,” he said softly, only for her to hear. “But I meant everything I said.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry leaned into his touch. “I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His golden eyes met hers, earnest and heartfelt. “Can you forgive me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winry took their entwined hands and pressed the back of his hand to her lips. “Of course I can,” she said. “Besides, my heart belongs to you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face broke into a grin, and it was the most beautiful thing Winry had ever seen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hurry up, we don’t have much time,” Scar said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something in the air changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward looked up at the overcast sky through the cracks in the cathedral’s ceiling. “It’s too late,” he said. “Night is already here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavina’s anguished sobs turned into cackling. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos if you liked it!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter Twenty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's Lavina's last stand. Will Winry and Edward make it?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The bed erupted into emerald green flames. The flames jumped off of the bed to encircle Winry, Edward, and Scar. It was too similar to what had happened at the Goat’s Chariot. Winry pressed into Edward’s side, holding his hand as tight as she could. Lavina’s cackling grew louder and louder until it was all that Winry could hear. The fire danced along the stone floor, catching on the straw. The heat emanating from it was hot enough to make Winry’s face burn with heat. She gripped onto Excalibur, a feeling like a cool mountain stream washing over her as it negated a little bit of the heat from the fire. </p><p>Lavina’s cackle crescendoed to new heights. Edward squeezed Winry’s hand. He was shaking. Next to her, Scar growled. Through the flames, Winry saw Lavina turn around and point a clawed hand at Scar. He froze, choking on his air. She squeezed, and his eyes started to bulge out. She slowly raised her fist into the air, Scar rising with it, his feet kicking uselessly in the air.</p><p>“You think I was going to just let you <em>go?"</em></p><p>Winry pointed Excalibur towards the witch, her face hard. </p><p>Lavina snorted. She bent down and picked up an obsidian knife. Step by step she descended the stairs. The fire grew brighter and more violent as she came closer. “I suppose I must thank you. With my sisters gone, I get it’s heart all to myself. All of that power, that youth--”</p><p>“Like hell you will,” Winry snarled. </p><p>Lavina only laughed and squeezed her fist tighter. Scar clawed at his throat. She released her fist and he collapsed to the floor, unmoving. The fires wasted no time in latching onto his clothes. Lavina expertly spun the knife in her hand.</p><p>Just like at the inn, the fire shoved itself between Edward and Winry. She didn’t feel the heat at first; but when Edward cried out and drew his hand away, Winy felt the flames tickle the palm of her hand. It registered as coolness at first, until something in her body screamed at her to take her hand out of the fire. She yanked it out of the green flames and held it close to her chest, red and angry blisters forming. She stumbled back from the fire. </p><p>The flames in between Edward and Winry grew, forcing them to step away from each other. Winry could see his frantic expression as he looked around. Their eyes met. He was <em> terrified. </em></p><p>Grunting, Winry helped Scar to his feet. His eyes were halfway rolled into his head, and his breathing was shallow and rasping. She slapped the flames on his back away with her right hand, Excalibur in her left. The blisters stung, not even Excalibur could help with that. That almost made it worse. She looped her arm under Scar’s, leaning with his full weight on her shoulder.</p><p>The fires kept moving, spreading out from them like a spider’s web. The stones under her feet were hot. Where the fire touched them, the stones burned a red-gold. </p><p>Lavina continued to stalk towards Edward, a snakelike grin on her face. The obsidian knife swished in the air as she spun it around her hand. Scar groaned and steadied himself on his feet a little. His eyes fluttered. </p><p>In front of Edward, the fire opened just enough for Lavina to step over the red-hot stones and in front of him. Winry repositioned Scar, her mind racking itself for something, anything that she could even try to do.</p><p>Lavina raised the knife above her head. </p><p>
  <em> Please, I can’t just stand here and watch him die, please, there has to be something I can do, let there be something brain think think think think think think after all that he’s done for you he needs you and you can’t do anything come on just think of something he’s going to die oh please I’d do anything I can’t just stand here and watch him die something, someone, anybody, anything, I don’t know what to do and I can’t-- </em>
</p><p>Lavina plunged the knife down towards him.</p><p>A scream ripped out of Winry’s throat. <em>“</em> <em> PLEASE! </em>”</p><p>Her necklace burst into an array of prismatic colors. She dropped Scar on his face. Winry ran through the fire and across red-hot stones, Excalibur in her injured hand. She didn’t feel the heat as she flung herself in front of Edward. </p><p>Lavina’s knife came crashing down, shattering into a thousand shards of obsidian inches away from Winry’s chest. She held onto Edward’s arm, balancing against him. Obsidian flew into Lavina’s face like shrapnel. The witch cried out, stumbling backwards, straight into the fire. Excalibur glowed, its light pulsing in time to her heartbeat. Mixed with the light emanating from the necklace, it was nearly blinding. </p><p>“You have no claim to his heart,” Winry said, panting. She found Edward’s fingers and  gripped his hand in hers. “It belongs to me, as mine does to him. But then again, I doubt that you even understand what that means.”</p><p>Lavina gasped, burning in the fires of her own creation. The fire started eating her up as eagerly as it had lapped at Winry, Edward, and Scar earlier. </p><p>Still holding onto Edward’s hand, Winry stepped forward. Lavina screamed as the starlight from the sword and necklace touched her. Emerald flames danced around her, illuminating her green eyes that were wide with terror.</p><p>“I pity you,” said Winry. “But your life isn’t mine to take.” She turned to Edward and held Excalibur out to him. He stared at her, dozens of emotions flitting across his face. Lavina fell to her knees as Edward took hold of the sword. His eyes locked onto Winry’s face.</p><p>Lavina started to beg. “Please, no, don’t do this, I’m just an old woman, I only wanted to be beautiful, please don’t make me die, I don’t want to die--”</p><p>Edward dropped Excalibur onto the ground. It clattered, the metal ringing out against the stone floor. He tugged on Winry’s hand as his other hand came to rest on the back of her neck. Winry closed her eyes as their lips met. </p><p>It was light and stars and hope. He was still soft, softer than he had any right to be, but there was a deepness to this kiss that hadn’t been there at the last one. Winry forced herself to stop thinking and just… be. Be with Edward, in the endless, starry expanse that he called home where her feet didn’t touch the ground and her fingers and toes tingled with starlight and everything was perfectly <em> him </em> . His hands, firm and gentle, holding onto her with everything he had and her fingers digging into his shoulder to remind herself that he was <em> here </em> and that he wasn’t leaving, that he would never leave again. Their hearts as they beat in tandem, glowing brighter than the very stars themselves.</p><p>The light from her necklace and Excalibur faded as Lavina gasped out her last breath. The fires slowly died out, and the stones cooled down. Winry paid them no heed.</p><p>Winry broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around Edward’s shoulders. He buried his face in her neck, his arms tight around her as he hugged her back. </p><p>“I thought I lost you,” she whispered.</p><p>“Never,” he mumbled. He hugged her even tighter. Winry smiled. She let some tears fall as she clung to him.</p><p>Scar cleared his throat. “I hate to break up this tender moment, but we have to get going. You do have the sapphire, right?”</p><p>Winry and Edward broke apart, but only enough for Edward to dig in his pockets for the pouch holding the sapphire necklace. He held it out to Scar. He plucked it out of Edward’s hands and tied it onto his belt. Winry lowered her arms to wrap around Edward’s waist. He looked back at her, as if nothing else in the universe mattered. </p><p>“What now?” he asked with a cheeky grin. </p><p>Winry glanced at Scar. He held up his hand. “Stormhold isn’t far from here. Once Olivier gets word to Alex that she has the sapphire, the wars will end and Faerie will be at peace once more.”</p><p>Edward looked over at Scar. “Are you sure? There has to be some way to repay you for helping Winry. For helping us.”</p><p>He shook his head. “The sapphire is more than enough. I will make sure to tell Olivier what Camelot has done. Maybe we can give you some protection.”</p><p>Winry smiled and nodded at him. “Thank you, Scar. For everything.”</p><p>He nodded. “Maybe we’ll meet again, Winry Pendragon.”</p><p>“Maybe we will.”</p><p>Scar turned and left without another word. </p><p>Edward crouched down and picked up Excalibur, taking it by the blade and extending it to Winry hilt-first. She took it and sheathed it. She looked around the cathedral, with its crumbling walls, destroyed furniture, bodies, and scorch marks. A small laugh bubbled out of her. Outside, clouds parted and starlight streamed in through openings in the walls and ceiling. </p><p>Edward looked up through a hole in the ceiling. Outside, the night sky was filled to the brim with stars in intricate, colorful patterns. “What now?”</p><p>“I’m not sure.”</p><p>“It’s your call.”</p><p>Winy studied him. His honey-gold hair hung down the sides of his face and broad shoulders, having lost his braid sometime earlier. His sharp nose was turned up to the sky, and his eyes were unblinking as a faint smile rested on his lips. She reached out and grabbed his hand. “What do you want?”</p><p>He kept his face turned towards the sky. “I want to go home,” he said softly. “While I was--out cold, I think? That’s not exactly the right word for it, but while I was out cold I had this dream and you and Alphonse were in it, and we were happy. That’s what I want. And I know that there’s no way for that to happen.” He looked down at Winry holding his hand, and he moved his fingers so they were entwined with hers. “So the next best thing is wherever you are.” He took a step closer to her, and held her hand close to his chest. “You’re the only home I’ve ever had in Faerie, Winry, and I don’t care where we are or what we do as long as I’m by your side.” One of his knuckles brushed against her cheek. “You have a freckle there,” he mumbled, a small smile coming to his lips. “How have I never noticed before?”</p><p>Winry smiled and cupped his face with her hand. “Okay.” He leaned into her touch, his eyes closed, his bangs tickling her knuckles. She poked him in the chest with her free hand. “But don’t you <em> dare </em> leave me like that again. I was terrified that you had died. And kissing me right before you left was a little mean.”</p><p>Edward grinned, and lowered his head down so their foreheads met. “As you wish.”</p><p>They stood like that for what seemed like an eternity. If Winry had to choose, she’d say standing there, with Edward, was better than either kiss they had shared. Through a crack in the roof, light fell around them like freshly-fallen snow in their own symphony of starlight.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eight years have passed, and Winry is finally returning home. With a couple of surprises.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Winry flung her ponytail behind her shoulder, out of the way of Alice’s little hands. Next to her, Edward slung Benji over his shoulder, making the four-year-old squeal with delight. Winry watched Edward play with their son as they walked along the road, their shoes kicking up dust. Eventually, Benji settled on Edward’s shoulders and started tapping his head like a drum. Winry laughed, which only made Edward roll his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alice squirmed in her arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want to go down?” Winry asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three-year-old nodded. Winry set her down, but made sure to keep hold of her hand. Alice immediately started skipping. The sun was getting low on the horizon, but Winry doubted that they’d stop for the night. They were close and she was excited, along with the million other emotions rolling around in her stomach. Edward was a little less so, and their children had almost no idea where they were going. That, and sleeping schedules in their family never ended up working out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A hill rose in the distance, with a proud keep standing on top of it. Benji stopped the torrent on Edward’s head and pointed at it. “Is that where we’re going, Mommy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry’s stomach twisted itself into knots. “Yes, Benji. That’s Camelot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s Camelot?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s where Mommy is from,” said Edward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Okay.” He started slapping Edward’s head again. Edward grimaced, but didn’t say anything. Benji hummed and swayed to the irregular pattern he hit out on the top of Edward’s head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eight years. It had been eight years since she and Edward had left. It seemed as if a lifetime had passed, and Winry wasn’t sure how she felt about finally returning home. It seemed like the right time, except she wasn’t sure how everyone would respond to her coming home with a husband and two children. Not that she minded; her family was all she needed, but in that time the only word she had sent home to her parents had been a single note, and that had been right before her and Edward officially joined the crew of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devil’s Nest</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which had been immediately after returning Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. To say that she was nervous was an understatement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holding onto Benji’s leg with one hand, Edward took Winry’s other hand in his and squeezed it. “It’ll be fine,” he said with a reassuring smile. “They’ll love the kids.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not that that I’m worried about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if they expect me to be the same person I was when I left?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? A badass, swashbuckling pirate who is on a first-name basis with the queen of Stormhold, who has also traveled to Wall and back while being pregnant with her second child? And who saved a star--that’s me, by the way--from getting killed by a coven of witches? What more could they want? Oh, and also being the heir to the Pendragon line, but who cares about that.” He grinned at her, the freckles on his face forming constellations that Winry had traced time and time again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiled at him. Edward always had a knack for cheering her up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The closer they got to Camelot the more people they encountered. No one recognized her, which made sense. She was a twenty-five year old woman with two children and a husband, and she was incredibly travel-worn. No one from Camelot had seen her in eight years, why would they recognize her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was around sunset when Alice flopped onto the ground, too tired to continue walking. Edward gave Benji to Winry and he picked up their daughter, carrying her in both arms. She snuggled into Edward’s chest. He smiled softly down at her and brushed some of her brown hair out of her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry’s anxiety only grew as they walked up the main road to the front gates of Camelot. They were closed for the night, but she knocked firmly on the solid oak wood and stepped back, waiting for a response. Benji climbed onto her shoulders and hung there from his knees, his legs and arms hanging down on either side of her. She knocked again before grabbing her son’s legs so he wouldn’t fall on his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A panel opened up in the door. Winry didn’t recognize the guard. “Whatever business you have, it can wait until morning,” she said, her voice cold and monotone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My name is Winry Pendragon, and I’m here to see the king and queen.” Putting Benji on the ground, she took her necklace off. “Give this to the queen, she can verify my identity.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The guard sighed. “I’m sorry, the king and queen cannot be bothered at this point in time--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward sighed, then handed Alice over. He dug in his rucksack for his royal seal of Camelot, something that all guards had. It was a simple piece of paper with the Anvil of Camelot drawn on it. Winry didn’t realize that he had it until she had snooped around his bag for what she thought was a ring, years ago. “My name is Edward Elric, and I was the guard assigned to keep Princess Winry safe during the Wars of Faerie. Sir Roland Mustang gave me the assignment on behalf of the king. Here is my proof.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The guard narrowed her eyes, inspecting the seal. She closed the panel. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry raised her eyebrows. “She believed you and not me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward shrugged. “I know, right? Benji, don’t pick the toad up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Benji turned around, a small toad in his hands. “But it’s cute, Daddy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward crouched down to be eye-level with his son. “Yes, but it’s home isn’t in your hand. It has a family, and I think it wants to go home to that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Benji looked down at the toad. It croaked and hopped out of his hand. “Okay,” sighed the little boy. He started kicking at the dirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alice stirred, yawning. She blinked her eyes open and frowned. “You’re not Daddy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here,” Winry said, handing her over. As soon as Alice was in Edward’s arms, she wrapped her little arms around his neck. Edward hugged her back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The gates swung open absurdly fast. Winry grabbed Benji by the arm and yanked him towards her. He stood behind her and hugged her legs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the other side stood the king and queen. Sarah held the necklace loosely in her hand, and it dropped to the ground the second she saw Winry. Yuriy got to her first, pulling her into a bone-crushing hug. Winry hugged him back, tears springing to her eyes. Sarah joined them next. Winry clung to her parents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sarah pulled back to look at her. Yuriy wiped tears from his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi,” said Winry, tears falling down her cheeks. “I’m back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yuriy wiped her tears away. “Look at you,” he said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Benji tugged on Winry’s trousers. “Mommy, who are these people?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry picked Benji up. “Benji, these are my mommy and daddy.” His eyes widened. “Mom, Dad, this is Benji, and the little girl is Alice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With Alice still hugging him, Edward brought his fist to his heart, saluting the king and queen. “She’s safe, your majesties. Although she saved my life more than I did her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sarah and Yuriy looked between Edward and Winry, and at the rings they wore. Yuriy put his hand on Edward’s shoulder. “You’re a good man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, sir.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry stifled a giggle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sarah held out her arms. “May I hold him?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Benji looked between Sarah and Winry. He shrugged, and Winry handed him over to her mother. Sarah’s face lit up. “Hello,” she said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi,” said Benji.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yuriy turned to Winry. “When I sent you away, I never expected that you’d come home married and with children. With your bodyguard, no less.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry grinned. “He’s one-of-a-kind, Dad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Edward beamed, his chest starting to glow. Alice wriggled out of his grasp, landing on the ground. Benji was in the process about telling Sarah about the toad he had found, and Alice looked between everyone, clearly confused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s all come inside, where it’s warm,” said Yuriy. “I’m curious as to that note you sent. What do you mean, you found Excalibur?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They all stepped inside the castle. Winry and Edward shared a look. “Would you like us to start from the beginning, your majesty?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yuriy waved his hand in the air and rolled his eyes. “You married my daughter, you can call me Dad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That made Winry laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I expect the same thing,” said Sarah. “‘Mom’ or ‘Nana’ for me. None of the ‘your majesty’ nonsense, you’re family.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yuriy leaned over to whisper to Winry. “She’s wanted grandchildren for years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have a feeling she’ll get plenty,” Winry whispered back. Edward only rolled his eyes, unable to keep a smile off of his face. Sarah turned around, a quizzical expression on her face, and Winry held up three fingers. Sarah’s face lit up even more, if it was possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yuriy raised his eyebrows. “Actually, I’m more curious as to how…” he gestured between Edward and Winry, “this happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m curious about the pirate bit that you mentioned in your letter,” Sarah said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re all not unrelated,” Winry said. Alice grabbed her hand and Edward’s, and they started swinging her back and forth, to her delighted giggles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stepped into the familiar great hall, and Winry closed her eyes. She had loved traveling, but there was something about fire crackling in the various hearths around the castle and Camelot’s old, stone walls. No matter how far she had traveled, Camelot was home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They made their way up to Sarah and Yuriy’s bedchamber, where Benji and Alice immediately ran to the scarlet-canopy bed and started to jump on it, too excited to sleep. After much coercion and bribes, Winry and Edward got them tucked in and quiet. She didn’t know if they were asleep, but at least they were still. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The four of them sat down next to the fire. Winry leaned into Edward’s side, grabbing hold of one of his hands. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, making her hum. Sarah and Yuriy gave each other a knowing look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell us everything that happened,” Yuriy said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everything?” asked Winry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everything,” said Sarah. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Winry looked up at Edward, then nodded at him. He gave her hand a squeeze and turned to Sarah and Yuriy. “I guess it all started when we were traveling on Neurath Road, just a day’s ride from Camelot…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>THE END</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a monstrosity to take on, and I thank each and every one of you for reading it, both as this was updating and after it was completed. Your comments and kudos never failed to make my day.</p>
<p>Second thanks goes out to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephilosophersapprentice">thephilosophersapprentice</a> for being my sounding board for a lot of the crazy things that happened, and for loving goose!Winry just as much--if not more--than I do.</p>
<p>Some general notes about this fic:</p>
<p>-Lavina was based off of Jolene, from Dolly Parton's <i>phenominal<i> song by the same name. She has the ivory skin, emerald eyes, auburn hair, and Winry really didn't want her to take Edward. "Don't you please take my man" indeed.</i></i></p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>-The title of this fic comes from a beautiful piano piece by Sonder City, the link is right <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L_bfom9MRg">here</a>.  It's beautiful, and it's also pretty much what happens. Actually, around the time that I had almost finished the first draft of this, I sat down with that song and wrote a stream-of-consciousness two-page outline in gold ink and honestly? That's on-brand.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>-<a href="https://joodledraws.tumblr.com/post/636152420199809024/in-progress-xb-kinda-new-here-but-oh-well-been#notes">Someone made a piece of fanart for this</a> and it's honestly so incredible and I'm very humbled and <i>still</i> floored. It's a scene from Chapter Thirteen, if any of you all were curious.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Don't be afraid to hang out in the comments, I swear that I don't bite. Thank you all for reading, this has been a wonderful eight months of my life. And, as always, if you liked it don't forget to leave a comment/kudos, and I'll see you in my next fic!!</i>
  </i>
</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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